Civil servants to receive 0.6-month year-end bonus; junior-grade officers to get additional one-time payment
Office workers walk out for a lunch break in Singapore's Raffles Place business district on Oct 6, 2022. (File photo: AFP/Roslan Rahman)
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SINGAPORE: Civil servants in Singapore will receive a 0.6-month year-end bonus, with junior-grade officers getting a lump sum payment, the Public Service Division (PSD) announced on Monday (Nov 27).
Civil servants in grades equivalent to MX13(I) and MX14 will receive an additional lump sum of S$400 (US$299).
Those in grades equivalent to MX15 and MX16, and those in the Operations Support Scheme (OSS) will receive a higher lump sum of S$800.
"This year-end payment takes into consideration that Singapore’s gross domestic product (GDP) is expected to come in at around 1 per cent in 2023, as well as the latest National Wages Council (NWC) guidelines," said PSD.
In total, civil servants will receive a 0.9-month bonus for 2023. Officers up to MX13(I) and equivalent will receive an additional lump sum of up to S$1,200 this year.
The government will continue to pay the non-pensionable annual allowance of one month, also known as the 13th-month bonus.
The Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) has narrowed the GDP growth forecast of 0.5 per cent to 1.5 per cent, to around 1 per cent for 2023.
The revised forecast takes into consideration the labour market outlook, subdued external demand for the rest of the year and continued downside risks arising from geopolitical tensions, said PSD.
In June, civil servants received a 0.3-month mid-year bonus. Junior grade officers also received an additional one-time payment of up to S$400.
Civil servants in 2022 received a total of 1.45 months in full-year annual variable component (AVC), with those in more junior grades receiving an additional one-time sum of up to S$1,100.
In 2021, civil servants received a total of 1.3 months in full-year AVC, with those in more junior grades receiving an additional one-time sum of up to S$1,200.
While there was no year-end bonus for civil servants in 2020, the government continued to pay the 13th-month bonus throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
In October, the National Wages Council (NWC) urged employers to give their employees a one-off payment to help with the rising costs of living, beyond support from the government.
The NWC, a body comprising employer, employee and government representatives, made a similar recommendation in 2008 and 2011 when inflation was high.
2023 BONUSES
Ms Cham Hui Fong, deputy secretary-general of the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC), said that despite "challenging external socio-political and economic factors", negotiations and decisions on this year's year-end AVC were concluded "with much consideration and goodwill to recognise the efforts of our civil servants".
Noting that the additional one-off lump sum payments for junior grade officers are "much appreciated" by the unions, she said: "This is especially so when the payments, which would benefit these officers more, are in line with the recommendations of the National Wages Council guidelines for 2023/24.'
She added that the NTUC urges civil servants to do their best, and focus on reskilling and upskilling to have better work prospects and remain employable.
Mr Sanjeev Kumar Tiwari, general secretary of the Amalgamated Union of Public Employees (AUPE), said the year-end AVC payout is similar to those in the years with poorer economic growth.
"We believe the year-end AVC of 0.6 month and lump sums, coupled with the Assurance Package, will help defray some of the rising cost of living for our public officers," he said.
"AUPE will continue to work with the government in monitoring the situation and ensuring that our public officers will be adequately recognised for their good work."
