New employment restrictions to be introduced for civil servants

New restrictions may be introduced in Uzbekistan regarding the subsequent employment of certain executives and officials who worked in state agencies at organizations they previously supervised. A draft regulation aimed at preventing conflicts of interest has been developed.

According to the draft, if an employee whose employment contract has been terminated or who has been dismissed from a state body or other organization intends to be hired by an organization they directly or indirectly supervised over the last two years, an opinion from the internal anti-corruption control unit is required first.

In other words, a former executive or official cannot directly move to an organization they supervised, audited, or influenced during their tenure. This process will be subject to a special review to assess the level of corruption risk.

The document emphasizes that the main purpose of this procedure is to prevent conflicts of interest, reduce the risk of using official powers for personal gain, and prevent 'revolving door' situations.

'Revolving door' refers to a situation where a person who held a public office subsequently moves to an organization they previously supervised or influenced. In such cases, there is a risk that previous official powers, connections, or internal information could be used for personal benefit.

The draft regulation is intended to apply to executives and management staff of state bodies, local authorities, state institutions, as well as joint-stock companies with a state share of over 50 percent.

Under the new procedure, the hiring organization is required to request an opinion from the internal anti-corruption control unit of the former employee's previous workplace. Hiring is prohibited without such an opinion.

The draft classifies corruption risk levels as 'low', 'medium', and 'high'. If the assessment reveals a 'high' risk, the hiring of the employee will be rejected.

Furthermore, officials who hire individuals despite a negative opinion or without any opinion at all may be held liable in accordance with the law.

In short, the new project aims to increase transparency in the civil service, reduce conflicts of interest, and bring the subsequent professional activities of executives under legal oversight. The core idea is simple: once you leave your post, it will no longer be easy to quietly transition to a place you once supervised.