The Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) has reviewed allowances for public officers effective August 7, 2023.
The review is aimed at achieving equity and transparency in the management of allowances, as well as guiding the government in the management of the wage bill.
Moreover, the Lyn Mengich-led commission has set out to conduct the review in phases.
The first Phase was completed last year while the second phase of the review will commence with the review of; Retreat Allowance, Sitting Allowance for Institutional Committees, Taskforce Allowance, and Daily Subsistence Allowance (Local and Foreign Travel) for public officers.
Retreat Allowance
SRC has advised that the allowance cease to be payable to public officers.
Retreat allowance is paid to public officers undertaking special assignments aimed at reviewing, developing, and producing policy documents away from the workstation.
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According to SRC, all these are the job responsibilities factored in when determining the worth of a job during evaluation.
“This is a job responsibility that is factored in determining the relative worth of a job during the job evaluation, the results of which inform the remuneration of a job,” SRC stated.
As a result, the commission said payment of Retreat Allowance, in addition to the basic salary, amounts to double compensation.
Sitting Allowance for Members of Institutional Internal Committee
SRC advises that sitting allowance ceases to be payable for public officers.
The commission argues that these Institutional Internal Committees are formed to facilitate the execution of the mandate of the institution.
As such, paying the members of the committee a sitting allowance in addition to the basic salary, amounts to double the compensation
Taskforce Allowance
The commission advises that the allowance ceases to be payable to members of internal institutional taskforce.
They argue that internal institution taskforces are constituted to execute the mandate of the institution. Therefore, payment of their allowances as well as the basic salary amounts to double compensation.
- Furthermore, the salaries and remuneration commission advised the following.For all other taskforces, Accounting Officers shall seek the review and advice by SRC on the payment.
- Public officers shall not be paid for more than one taskforce for the same period of time.
- A Taskforce Allowance shall be payable to public officers for a maximum period of 15 days in a month. The number of paid days in a taskforce takes cognizance of compensation paid to other public officers in their regular jobs during the period of the taskforce
- Where public officers engage in a taskforce on a full-time basis for more than one month, they shall be required to opt for either the taskforce allowance or the monthly salary for the substantive post
- Accounting Officers shall approve payment of Taskforce Allowance upon the successful completion of the task, as per rates advised by SRC.
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Daily Subsistence Allowances (Local and Foreign Travel)
The payment of Daily Subsistence Allowance (DSA) is meant to facilitate public officers to attend to official assignments away from their duty stations within the country and out of the country.
SRC advises on DSA (Local and Foreign Travel) rates payable to public officers as follows:
DSA (Local Travel): The DSA rates are standardized across the country and shall not be payable for locations that are within a 50km radius of respective duty stations of the officers affected.
However, the DSA for Foreign Travel remains unchanged at the existing rates.
Implementation of the Reviews
Nevertheless, SRC has announced that the reviews shall apply to public officers at the National and County Governments as appropriate.
The Commision further called on all Ministries, and county governments to take note of the changes in payment of allowances.
Furthermore, SRC said the circular dated August 7 , 2023 supersedes any other circular on all these allowances.
“This Circular supersedes any other circular on retreat allowance, sitting allowance for institutional internal committees, and DSA (Local and Foreign Travel) in the public service.” Reads the circular.
