Guidelines on the Availment of Wellness Leave for Government Employees — CSC Resolution No. 2501292
What is Wellness Leave?
The Wellness Leave, authorized under CSC Resolution No. 2501292, is a paid time off for government officials and employees to focus on their mental, physical and emotional health, distinct from vacation leave, sick leave and other leave privileges, allowing them to rest, rejuvenate, manage stress from work, or attend to their well-being.
In this post, we will give you the guidelines on the wellness leave — for whom, when can it be availed, for what purpose and more.
Legal Basis and Implementing Guidelines
Below is the legal basis on the Wellness Leave of government employees.
- CSC Resolution No. 2501292 — Wellness Leave Policy
Below is the implementing guidelines of CSC Resolution No. 2501292:
- CSC Memorandum Circular No. 01, s. 2026 — Wellness Leave Policy
Rationale on the grant of Wellness Leave
The Philippine Constitution, specifically Section 3, Article IX-B, mandates the CSC, as the central personnel agency of the Government, to establish a career service and adopt measures to promote morale, efficiency, integrity, responsiveness, progressiveness and courtesy in the civil service.
Sections 1 and 2, Rule VIII of the Omnibus Rules Implementing Book V of Executive Order (EO) No. 292 or the Administrative Code of 1987 directs every government agency to foster a work environment that supports employees’ personal growth, welfare, and development, including activities that promote counseling, recreation, and overall well-being.
The Mental Health Act highlights the need for workplace strategies that address both psychological and physical health. According to the 2025 Gallup’s State of the Global Workplace Report, Filipino workers cites unhealthy lifestyles and heavy workload as factors that harm their health. Relatedly, the CSC-DOLE-DOH Joint Administrative Order No. 2023-000 identifies mental health as among those priority areas or risk factors that all health promotion interventions in the workplace must focus on.
The CSC has a rule-making power set forth in Section 12, Book V, Title 1-A of EO 292 that empowers the Commission to issue and enforce rules and regulations necessary to carry out the provisions of Civil Service laws and related statutes. Thus, the CSC, being the central human resource institution of the government, takes the lead in enhancing employee benefits for the entire bureaucracy such as leave privileges that promote total wellness, ensuring that the policies are responsive to the changing needs of the workforce.
Foregoing considered, the CSC adopted the Wellness Leave Policy (WLP) under CSC Resolution No. 2501292 and promulgated guidelines for its implementation and availment.
Applicability of Wellness Leave Policy
The Wellness Leave Policy applies to the following government agencies and instrumentalities:
- Constitutional Bodies (CSC, COA, COMELEC, etc.);
- Departments, Bureaus and Agencies of the National Government;
- Government-owned or Controlled Corporations (GOCCs) with original charters;
- Local Government Units (LGUs); and
- State Universities and Colleges (SUCs).
Who can avail the Wellness Leave?
All government officials and employees of the above-mentioned government agencies may avail the Wellness Leave, whether:
- Permanent;
- Temporary;
- Substitute;
- Coterminous;
- Fixed Term;
- Contractual; and
- Casual.
However, government agencies that already grant leave benefits with a similar purpose or scope to Wellness Leave — such as those intended to promote employee well-being and mental health; provided they are consistent with applicable laws, rules and regulations, may choose to either maintain such leave benefits or replace them with another in accordance with this policy.
Can Job Order and Contract of Service workers avail Wellness Leave?
According to the CSC Resolution on Wellness Leave Policy, the entitlement of Contract of Service and Job Order workers to Wellness Leave shall be subject to the provisions of their individual contracts and the relevant issuances covering their engagement. This means that, unlike regular employees, JO and COS workers in government are not automatically entitled to the Wellness Leave.
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Authority to Grant Wellness Leave
The CSC authorizes government agencies to grant Wellness Leave to their officials and employees, subject to the agency’s discretion.
How many days can be availed for Wellness Leave?
Subject to government agency’s discretion, government officials and employees may avail up to a maximum of five (5) days Wellness Leave.
The Wellness Leave shall be separate and exclusive from the fifteen (15) days Vacation Leave (VL), fifteen (15) days Sick Leave (SL), and three (3) days Special Privilege Leave (SPL), available from the date of assumption to duty.
The Wellness Leave may be taken either consecutively for a maximum of three (3) days, or on a separate non-consecutive days up to five (5) days.
Allowable Reasons in availing the Wellness Leave
The Wellness Leave may be availed of, for purposes including, but not limited to the following:
- Mental Health Care;
- Physical Wellness Activities; or
- General Break from Work.
If the Wellness Leave was availed due to mental health reasons, any information related to the applicant’s mental health condition shall be bound by the rules and confidentiality and in compliance with the Data Privacy Act of 2012.
How to avail or apply for the Wellness Leave?
According to CSC Resolution No. 2501292, the following shall be observed in availing or applying for the Wellness Leave:
a. The Wellness Leave may be taken either consecutively for a maximum of three (3) days, or on a separate non-consecutive days.
b. The Wellness Leave shall be filed in the same manner as filing for Vacation Leave, Sick Leave, and other leave privileges, following the procedures adopted by respective government agencies.
c. The application for Wellness Leave shall be recommended by the immediate supervisor and submitted to the head of office for approval. Remember to use the latest Application for Leave Form (CS Form No. 6) prescribed by the CSC.
d. The application for Wellness Leave shall be filed at least five (5) days before its availment, except in emergency cases wherein it must be filed immediately upon the officials’ or employees return from such leave.
Accumulation and Monetization of Wellness Leave
The Wellness Leave is non-cumulative which means it cannot be accumulated or saved for availment in succeeding years unlike Vacation Leave and Sick Leave. It is the same as the Special Privilege Leave (SPL) which expires if not used during the year.
The Wellness Leave is also non-commutable which means it cannot be monetized just like Vacation Leave and Sick Leave. The Wellness Leave is forfeited if not availed within the calendar year.
Wellness Leave of Public School Teachers
It is not yet clear as of now if public school teachers may also avail of the Wellness Leave just like regular civilian employees as they have a different leave system under the Magna Carta for Public School Teachers. The CSC Resolution likewise does not specifically stated that the Wellness Leave may be availed of by public school teachers.
Public school teachers don’t get regular Vacation Leave and Sick Leave like other government employees; instead, they receive Proportional Vacation Pay (PVP) for summer/Christmas breaks plus earned Vacation Service Credits (VSC) for authorized work during these breaks, or for teaching overload, which can offset absences or be monetized, following CSC Memorandum Circular No. 41, s. 1998 (Omnibus Rules on Leave), as amended by CSC MC No. 9, s. 2012, and recent DepEd policies such as DepEd Department Order No. 13, s. 2024.
Wellness Leave in Other Branches of Government
Other branches of the government likewise grant Wellness Leave to their officials and employees. In the Senate for example, their officials and employees may avail five (5) days mental wellness leave. In May 2025, Senator Chiz Escudero approved a 10-day Supplemental Mental Wellness Leave per year which can be availed of by Senate personnel diagnosed with a mental health condition in addition to the existing 5-days mental wellness leave. The SMWL was contained in Senate Policy Order No. 2025-006 approved by Senator Escudero.
The Judiciary likewise grants wellness leave to their officials and employees as implemented under the Chief Justice C.A.R.E.S (Compassion, Awareness, Rehabilitate, Educate and Save) Program for the entire Judiciary. According to OCA Circular No. 92-2021 (Guidelines on Requests for Wellness Leave for the Lower Courts), employee who is at risk of developing, or who is found to have mental health condition may be allowed to take an official leave of absence to ensure proper treatment and full recovery. They can avail of up to two (2) Wellness Leave.
Effectivity of CSC Resolution No. 2501292 (Wellness Leave Policy)
The CSC Resolution No. 2501292 (Wellness Leave Policy) takes effect after fifteen (15) days from publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.
The CSC announced on its Official Facebook Page on December 16, 2025 that the subject Resolution was published in Daily Tribune and will officially take effect 15 days after publication. The Daily Tribune published an article about the Wellness Leave on December 9, 2025; hence, following this timeline, the CSC Resolution No. 2501292 took effect on December 24, 2025.
Why Wellness Leave Matters
Let’s admit, government work is demanding. Deadlines pile up, responsibilities never stop, and the pressure to serve the public can easily take a toll on health. That’s why wellness leave introduced by the Civil Service Commission in 2025 is such a game-changer. It gives government employees the chance to step back, breathe, and take care of themselves—whether that means resting, spending time with family, or simply recharging.
This isn’t just about taking a break. It’s about recognizing that people do their best work when they’re healthy and balanced. By giving government workers time to focus on their well-being, wellness leave helps prevent burnout and keeps them motivated to serve with energy and purpose.
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