Syria forms committee to review decade of public sector sackings

Syria has formed a central committee to review the cases of public sector employees dismissed between 2011 and the fall of the Assad regime in December 2024, reopening a long-controversial file that has left thousands without jobs or compensation.

The decision, issued by Ali Kedda, Deputy Secretary-General of the Presidency for Cabinet Affairs, will examine cases of dismissal from service over the 13-year period. Officials have described the body as "central", with a mandate to study individual cases and make recommendations.

While the move has been welcomed by many, it comes amid economic collapse and administrative dysfunction. Years of war have sharply reduced GDP, driven up unemployment and devalued the currency. The World Food Programme estimates around 12 million Syrians now face food insecurity.

In this context, many dismissed employees fear the committee will prove symbolic. The absence of transparent criteria has prompted concerns that any redress will be selective, particularly in cases involving alleged security or political grounds.

French teacher Khawla Al-Homsi, from Homs, said she was sacked in 2013 after being unable to reach her school in Al-Khalidiyah due to shelling. ‘Weeks later, the administration called and told me I was dismissed for absenteeism,’ she told The New Arab's Arabic edition Al-Araby Al-Jadeed.

"I tried to explain my circumstances, but they said it was a security decision that couldn’t be changed. Since then, I’ve survived by giving private lessons, waiting to get my job back or at least compensation for the years I lost."

Mustafa Al-Mohammad, a former employee at the Damascus Countryside Water Company, was arrested in late 2014 for participating in peaceful protests. After his release, he was told verbally he could not return to work for security reasons.

"I left for Turkey in 2015 and came back two years ago after settling my status, but I still couldn’t get my job or entitlements back," he said. "Maybe this is a last chance, but I don’t know if they will restore our rights."

Legal expert Hussein Al-Mousa told Al-Araby Al-Jadeed that the committee would need to distinguish between purely administrative cases, such as absenteeism or workplace violations, and those linked to security or politics.

"In the first type, it could recommend reinstatement or compensation. In security-related cases, its powers are often limited, with the final decision in the hands of the security agencies. The main problem is the lack of transparency, which could make redress selective," he said.

Economist Amjad Wanos noted that reinstating or compensating thousands could boost purchasing power and inject liquidity into local economies, especially in smaller cities reliant on public sector salaries. But, he warned, "The positive impact will be limited if it covers only a few cases or remains bound by security restrictions."

The public sector has suffered heavy losses since 2011, with a mass exodus of staff for security and livelihood reasons, and large areas falling outside government control.

By 2020, the number of employees actually working had fallen to around 125,000, compared with 1.2–1.3 million before the conflict. Officials now admit around 400,000 of the 1.3 million names on the payroll are "ghost" employees not doing actual work.