Bill Proposal to Address the Status of Workers in Government Hospitals

National deputies Balaal Abdullah, Amin Shri, and Ashraf Biadoun have submitted a bill proposal to the Parliament concerning the resolution of the situation of workers in government hospitals, stating:

"Article One:

Exceptionally and only once, the Civil Service Council shall conduct a competition for individuals working in government hospitals, regardless of their job title, type of contract, or legal framework under which they operate, in order to enable successful candidates to be appointed as employees or staff members according to the provisions of applicable laws and regulations.

Employees who were appointed following a Civil Service Council competition based on Decree No. 4517 dated 13/12/1972 (General System for Public Institutions), particularly Article 19 thereof, are excluded from the above.

Article Two:

Participation in the competition specified in Article One of this law is open to any individual meeting the following conditions:

1- Being Lebanese and fulfilling the general and specific requirements for appointment to the position applied for.

2- Having actually commenced work in one of the government hospitals prior to August 1, 2026, and continuing to perform their duties there on the date of the competition.

3- Possessing the required academic, professional qualifications, and other criteria for the position applied for, in accordance with applicable laws and regulations.

The Civil Service Council shall verify the fulfillment of the conditions stipulated in this article according to established procedures.

Article Three:

The competition shall be unified across all government hospitals, based on vacant positions and actual staffing needs in each hospital, as determined by the respective hospitals and approved by the supervisory authority according to established procedures.

The number of applications for participation in the competition shall specify the candidate’s desired position and the government hospital where they wish to work; candidates may not alter their choice after the application period closes.

Results of the competition shall be ranked according to the position and hospital specified in each candidate’s application, and successful candidates shall be appointed according to their ranking and within the number of available positions allocated for each position in each hospital.

Article Four:

Successful candidates shall be appointed as employees or staff members in the government hospital they selected and in the position they applied for, based on their ranking in the competition and the number of positions allocated for each role in each hospital.

Appointments shall be made by the competent authority in accordance with applicable laws and regulations, following approval by the Civil Service Council that the appointment conditions are met, in accordance with Article 19 of Decree No. 4517 dated 13/12/1972 (General System for Public Institutions).

Employees and staff appointed under this law shall, effective from their appointment date, be subject to all legal and regulatory provisions governing staff in government hospitals, including social security provisions.

Article Five:

The competition specified in this law shall be conducted within a maximum period of six months from the date of its publication, and the appointment procedures for successful candidates shall be completed within a maximum period of three months from the announcement of the final results of the competition.

Article Six:

This law shall enter into effect immediately upon publication in the official gazette.

Reasons for the Proposal

Government hospitals constitute one of the essential facilities in the public healthcare system and play an increasingly vital role in providing medical services to citizens, particularly amid the current health, economic, and social challenges facing the country, which have led to growing demand for human resources necessary to ensure continuity and quality of public service delivery.

Given that the lack of necessary competitions to secure staff, combined with the departure of some employees for various reasons, has created an actual need for new workers, hospital administrations have, during the previous phase, resorted to hiring individuals to carry out essential tasks through various contractual arrangements—such as service procurement and invoice-based contracts—without granting these individuals employee status.

As a result, a group of workers now performs essential duties in government hospitals and directly contributes to the continuity of healthcare services, yet lacks the guarantees associated with formal employee status, particularly job stability and adherence to the legal framework governing public institution staff.

Addressing this situation is not solely about protecting the rights of these workers but also about safeguarding the interests of government hospitals and the broader public healthcare system. Stability in human resources helps retain experienced personnel with practical expertise in healthcare operations, enhances the regularity and continuity of healthcare services, and directly improves the quality of care provided to patients.

Therefore, this proposal is exceptional and limited to a single instance, aiming to provide an opportunity for individuals currently engaged in government hospitals—regardless of their job title or legal arrangement—to participate in a special competition organized by the Civil Service Council, with success serving as the basis for appointment as employees or staff members in accordance with established legal procedures.

The proposal carefully avoids automatic regularization or granting any right to appointment merely based on prior or current employment in a hospital. Instead, beneficiaries are subject to a uniform standard based on competence, merit, and competition results, thereby upholding the principles of equality and equal opportunity. The competition is unified across all government hospitals and linked to actual vacancies and staffing needs in each hospital, ensuring a balance between addressing the status of those currently engaged and meeting the real requirements of the public healthcare system.

A cutoff date of August 1, 2026, has been set to prevent eligibility for contracts or engagements established after the target group was defined. The proposal explicitly states that no retroactive effects apply to prior relationships, so that successful candidates shall, from their appointment date onward, be governed by the legal and regulatory provisions applicable to government hospital staff, including social security rules, as appropriate.

Thus, the proposal aims not only to resolve an existing employment situation but also to strengthen workforce stability in government hospitals, preserve the accumulated experience of workers, and improve the conditions for the continuity of public healthcare services—thereby simultaneously advancing the interests of the hospital, the worker, and the patient, and enhancing the overall functioning of the public healthcare system.

Therefore, we submit the attached proposal, hoping that the esteemed Parliament will review and approve it.