The Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) has published regulations governing how salaries and benefits for State officers and other public officers will be set, reviewed, and implemented.
Under the new regulations gazetted in June, the SRC will review the salaries and benefits of State officers every four years.
It will also advise the national and county governments on the salaries and benefits of other public officers during the same review period.
“The Commission shall review and set remuneration and benefits for State officers every four years. The Commission shall review and advise on remuneration and benefits for other public officers every four years,” read part of the gazette notice.
The new framework will require public bodies to submit information on remuneration and benefits whenever a review is due, with the information forming part of the Commission’s assessment.
SRC Gazettes New Rules on Salaries and Benefits for Public Officers
In determining whether salaries and benefits should be adjusted, the SRC will consider Kenya’s economic performance, the ability of public institutions to afford and sustain the proposed remuneration, labour market trends, job evaluation results and the cost of living.
The Commission will also take into account existing collective bargaining agreements, productivity and performance targets, and government policies and guidelines before making its decisions.
SRC will communicate its decisions in writing, indicating the effective date of implementation for remuneration set or reviewed for State officers and advice issued for other public officers.
The new framework also strengthens the role of job evaluation in determining pay by requiring the Commission to assess the relative value of jobs across public bodies to promote equal pay for work of equal value, fairness and transparency.
Under the regulations, job evaluations may be undertaken where a public body requests one, when a new public body or public office is established, or where changes in institutional mandates or structures result in the creation of new jobs.
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Fresh Guidelines on Salary Reviews and Job Evaluations
Further, the new regulations require SRC to notify and sensitize public bodies before conducting job evaluations and to use an analytical, point-factor-based system to determine the relative value of jobs.
The Commission will also be required to engage affected institutions on the findings before communicating the final results in writing.
Public bodies will be required to establish job description analysis committees comprising accounting officers, heads of departments, employee representatives and, where applicable, shop stewards.
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The committees will identify jobs for evaluation, prepare approved job description manuals and submit reports to the SRC for assessment.
They will also be expected to provide feedback on the Commission’s job evaluation results.
The regulations further require public bodies to align their job description manuals with applicable laws and approved human resource instruments.
Where a job description is not submitted, the SRC may rely on information contained in the relevant law or apply the results of the previous job evaluation.
The Commission may also conclude a job evaluation if a public body fails to provide feedback on the findings.
In addition, public bodies seeking job evaluations must submit key documents to the Commission, including their approved organizational structure, staff establishment, career progression guidelines, a list of existing jobs and grades, approved job description manuals, and reports prepared by the job description analysis committee.
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