Singapore civil servants to get 0.45-month mid-year bonus

Singapore civil servants to get 0.45-month mid-year bonus

 

SINGAPORE – All civil servants will receive a 0.45-month mid-year bonus, with junior officers getting a further payment of up to $250.

 

This is higher than the 0.3-month mid-year bonus given to civil servants in 2023.

 

In a statement on June 20, the Public Service Division (PSD) said: “This mid-year payment takes into consideration both the better economic outlook and downside risks that remain in the global economy.”

 

In addition to the bonus, civil servants in grades equivalent to MX13(I) and MX14 will receive a one-time payment of $150.

 

Those in grades equivalent to MX15 and MX16, and those in the Operations Support Scheme Grades III and IV, will get a higher one-time payment of $250.

 

In 2022 and 2023, junior officers received a one-time payment of $200 to $400. In 2021, the amount was $350 to $700.

 

Singapore’s economy grew 2.7 per cent year on year in the first quarter of 2024, exceeding the 2.2 per cent expansion in the previous quarter, noted PSD.

 

On a quarter-on-quarter seasonally adjusted basis, the economy expanded by 0.1 per cent, moderating from the 1.2 per cent growth in the preceding quarter.

 

The Ministry of Trade and Industry, added PSD, has maintained the gross domestic product growth forecast of 1 per cent to 3 per cent for 2024.

 

The assessment takes into consideration that the external economic environment has remained resilient in the first quarter of 2024 despite the downside risks remaining in the global economy.

 

Total employment, noted PSD, has continued to expand, albeit at a moderated pace.

 

Unemployment rates also remained low and within the range observed during non-recessionary periods.

 

In its statement, PSD added that the Government will continue to monitor the economic situation closely.

 

“It will take into consideration the guidelines by the National Wages Council, which will be released later in the year, in determining the year-end AVC (annual variable component) payments,” the statement said.

 

Ms Cham Hui Fong, deputy secretary-general of the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC), said the union discussed the terms of the mid-year bonus and the additional one-off payments.

 

“Given this year’s positive economic growth, despite uncertainties ahead, the Government’s mid-year AVC payout of 0.45 month is reflective of the economic performance and acknowledges (civil servants’) efforts,” she said.

 

“NTUC encourages civil servants to continue upskilling and upgrading, to stay relevant, competitive and employable in the face of future challenges.”

 

Mr Sanjeev Kumar Tiwari, general secretary of the Amalgamated Union of Public Employees, said the union had negotiated for, and appreciated, the increased mid-year bonus. He added that the additional one-off payments would be “a boost to the morale of our civil servants”.

 

“While there are still uncertainties ahead, this payout fairly acknowledges the efforts of our officers and demonstrates progressiveness by ensuring lower-income officers can cope with inflation and rising living costs,” he said.

 

NTUC assistant secretary-general Patrick Tay said in a Facebook post on June 20 that he is heartened to see that the number of job vacancies has grown, and that the incidence of retrenchment has continued to fall in the first quarter of 2024.

 

The tight labour market and the improved economic outlook should result in better prospects for the workforce, he added.

 

He also noted that while the resident long-term unemployment rate remains low at 0.8 per cent, the proportion of workers who were able to re-enter employment six months post-retrenchment fell below 60 per cent. 

 

“We will need to watch out for parts of our workforce who may need to adapt or retrain, particularly as companies continue to transform and restructure to incorporate new technologies and meet changing needs,” he said.

 

“Through our ongoing initiatives such as the company training committees, we aim to work with companies on transformation initiatives that raise productivity and shape a just transition for workers.”

 

Sim, S. (2024b, June 20). Singapore civil servants to get 0.45-month mid-year bonus. The Straits Times. https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/singapore-civil-servants-to-get-045-month-mid-year-bonus-junior-officers-to-get-additional-payout-of-up-to-250