An ad hoc allowance will be paid to public servants who have decided to contest the fact that they were denied a salary adjustment for acting in a position above their job title. This was decided by a High-Powered Committee (HPC), which met recently.
This decision was taken while waiting for the Public Appeal Tribunal or the Supreme Court to rule on the case of civil servants who decided to go to court for non-payment of an allowance for acting in a higher position in the hierarchy. The HPC considers that it is an injustice that they are deprived of this salary increase, because the legal authorities have not yet rendered their verdict, while their colleagues, who are acting in a higher position, are entitled to an allowance.
Thus, pending the verdict of the legal authorities, the civil servants concerned will be entitled to an ad hoc allowance equivalent to three increments. However, if the legal authorities reject their claims, they will have no choice but to dig into their pockets to repay the arrears.
The HPC approved that an “ad hoc allowance equivalent to three increments be granted to officers who have been appointed in a temporary capacity and whose salary overlaps with the initial salary of the higher post, for shouldering higher responsibilities as from the date of their temporary appointment, pending the determination of their cases before the PBAT or Judicial Review before the Supreme Court. In the event, the matter is set aside and the officers concerned are appointed in a substantive capacity, the allowance paid shall be deducted in the arrears of the salary payable to them as appropriate,” said Secretary for Public Service (SPS), Bojrazsingh Boyramboli in a circular.
