Civil Servants, Teachers Set To Lose More Allowances In New SRC Plan

By Getrude Mathayo / Published September 18, 2023 | 12:55 pm

The Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) has reviewed more allowances for removal in its push to harmonize public sector pay. The latest review, which marks the third phase of the review of allowances, is expected to involve employing institutions.

According to the SRC, the payment of the allowances in addition to the basic salary amounts to double compensation The commission is expected to engage employing institutions before advising each institution on specific allowances to be merged, renamed, restructured, abolished, or retained.

“There will be not just savings but it will also help us address the issue of harmonization of pay, equity, and fairness,” SRC Chairperson Lyn Mengich noted.

The engagement with employing institutions will mark the penultimate phase of streamlining of allowances in public service, a multi-year process that started with the review of allowances of State officers.

The terminal phase shall involve the progressive review of allowances and benefits offered through Collective Bargaining Agreements, aligning them to provisions of the public service framework.

In August, SRC scrapped Retreat Allowances, Sitting Allowances for Institutional Internal Committees, and Taskforce Allowances for Institutional Internal Committees. SRC also reviewed the Daily Subsistence Allowance, where allowances for local travels have been standardized for respective grades of public servants.

“The DSA for Foreign Travel remains unchanged, save for correction of a few countries,” SRC said in a press release on Wednesday, August 9.

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According to SRC, the reviews were made in phase two of a process of streamlining allowances for state and public officers, as the commission aims to achieve transparency, accountability, equity, and fairness in remuneration, and to ensure affordability and fiscal sustainability of the wage bill.

Phase one of the review process saw the commission scrap Plenary Sitting Allowances, Ministerial Allowance and Taxable Car Allowance.