SINGAPORE, Nov 28 — All civil servants in Singapore will receive a 0.6-month year-end bonus, the Public Service Division announced yesterday.

In a press release, PSD said that those civil servants in grades equivalent to MX13(I) and MX14 will also receive an additional lump sum of S$400 (RM1,400).

Those in grades equivalent to MX15 and MX16, plus those in the Operations Support Scheme (OSS) will get a higher lump sum of S$800.

With a 0.3-month mid-year bonus, this means that civil servants will receive a total of 0.9 months in full-year annual variable component (AVC) for 2023, with officers up to MX13(I) and equivalent receiving an additional lump sum of up to S$1,200 for this year.

The year-end bonus does not include the Non-Pensionable Annual Allowance, or 13th month bonus, and performance bonus.

PSD said: "This year-end payment takes into consideration that Singapore’s gross domestic product (GDP) is expected to come in at around 1 per cent in 2023, as well as the latest National Wages Council (NWC) guidelines.”

The 2023 year-end bonus is lower than the 1.1-month year-end bonus that civil servants received in 2022.

Those in grades equivalent to MX15 and below received an extra one-time payment of S$700 then.

Civil servants received a total of 2.45 months of full-year AVC last year.

The Ministry of Trade and Industry narrowed the GDP growth forecast of 0.5 per cent to 1.5 per cent to around 1 per cent for 2023.

"The revised forecast takes into consideration the labour market outlook, subdued external demand for the rest of the year and continued downside risks arising from geopolitical tensions,” PSD said.

Cham Hui Fong, deputy secretary-general of the National Trades Union Congress, said that negotiations and decisions on the year-end AVC payout for civil servants between the public sector unions and PSD were concluded with much consideration and goodwill to recognise the efforts of civil servants, despite challenging external socio-political and economic factors.

"The additional one-off lump sum payments for lower grade officers in the civil service is much appreciated by the unions too,” she said.

"This is especially so when the payments, which would benefit these officers more, are in line with the recommendations of the National Wages Council guidelines for 2023/24.”

Sanjeev Kumar Tiwari, general secretary of the Amalgamated Union of Public Employees (Aupe), added that the year-end AVC payout is similar to payouts in years with poorer economic growth.

He said: "We believe the year-end AVC of 0.6 month and lump sums, coupled with the Assurance Package, will help defray some of the rising cost of living for our public officers.”

He added: "Aupe will continue to work with the Government in monitoring the situation and ensuring that our public officers will be adequately recognised for their good work.”

PSD said that the Government will continue to adopt a progressive approach in determining the AVC for civil servants. — TODAY