SINGAPORE — Civil servants in Singapore will receive a 0.45-month mid-year bonus, with junior grade officers getting an additional payment of up to S$250 (US$185), the Public Service Division (PSD) announced on Thursday (Jun 20).

Civil servants in grades equivalent to MX13(I) and MX14 will receive an additional payment of S$150. Those in grades equivalent to MX15 and MX16, as well as those in the Operations Support Scheme (OSS) Grades III and IV, will receive an additional payment of S$250. 

PSD said the mid-year payment takes into consideration both the better economic outlook and downside risks that remain in the global economy.

"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 annual variable component payments," it added. 

Last year, civil servants received a 0.3-month mid-year bonus and a 0.6-month year-end bonus, as well as the non-pensionable annual allowance of one month, also known as the 13th-month bonus.

Junior grade officers also received an additional S$200 or S$400 as part of the mid-year bonus, and S$400 or S$800 at the end of 2023. 

The Singapore economy grew by 2.7 per cent on a year-on-year basis in the first quarter of 2024, extending the 2.2 per cent expansion in the previous quarter.

The Ministry of Trade and Industry has maintained the GDP 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, although downside risks remain in the global economy," said PSD on Thursday. 

PSD added that the Ministry of Manpower’s Labour Market Report for the first quarter of the year showed that total employment continued to expand albeit at a moderated pace. Unemployment rates remained low and within the range observed during non-recessionary periods.

"Our public sector unions had a productive discussion with the Public Service Division, where the unions called for the hard work of our civil servants to be recognised," said Ms Cham Hui Fong, deputy secretary-general of the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC).

Given this year's positive economic growth despite uncertainties ahead, the Government's mid-year payout is "reflective of the economic performance and acknowledges their efforts," she added.

Mr Sanjeev Kumar Tiwari, general secretary of the Amalgamated Union of Public Employees (AUPE), said that the payout, which surpasses the previous year's mid-year sum, would boost the morale of 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." CNA

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