Civil servants to receive 1.1-month year-end bonus; junior officers another S$700

THE Singapore civil service will pay a year-end bonus of 1.1 months this year, with junior grade officers receiving an additional S$700 one-time payment, the Public Service Division (PSD) said on Thursday (Nov 24).

PSD noted that year on year, the economy’s expansion eased to 4.1 per cent in Q3, compared with 4.5 per cent in Q2. The payment also takes into account the weakened economic outlook for outward-oriented sectors, due to the deteriorating global economic environment, as well as other significant downside risks globally.

It added that the Ministry of Trade and Industry has revised its official gross domestic product (GDP) growth forecast to “around 3.5 per cent” for 2022, compared with “3.0 per cent to 5.0 per cent” in May and “3.0 per cent to 4.0 per cent” in August.

While total employment continues to grow, unemployment rates recorded a slight uptick in September and retrenchments rose over the quarter.

In line with government efforts to support lower-wage workers, junior grade civil servants, or those in grades equivalent to MX15 and below, will also receive a one-time lump-sum payment of S$700.

Taken together with the mid-year payments, civil servants will receive a total of 1.45 months in bonuses for the full year, with those in the more junior grades receiving an additional one-time payment of up to S$1,100 for the year. 

Civil servants will also receive the non-pensionable annual allowance, also known as the 13th-month payment.

“The government deeply appreciates the hard work and sacrifice of all public officers who have responded to challenges with commitment and tenacity,” said PSD, acknowledging Covid-era challenges.

Responding to the announcement, National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) deputy secretary-general Cham Hui Fong added: “NTUC encourages employers and employees to continue upskilling and upgrading, to stay relevant and competitive in these changing times. We call on the private sector companies to do the same in appreciating and taking care of their employees this year-end.”

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Sanjeev Kumar Tiwari, general secretary of the Amalgamated Union of Public Employees (AUPE), said that the year-end bonus is “a fair payment” in recognition of officers’ good work, while being progressive by supporting lower-wage workers to cope with inflation and rising costs of living.

“As the economic outlook remains uncertain, we are happy of the government’s recognition of the sustained hard work and contributions of our civil servants. AUPE remains committed to our civil servants being relevant and contributing effectively.”

Last year, civil servants in Singapore received a 1 month year-end bonus, with junior grade officers receiving an additional payment of S$500.