New overtime policy for public sector workers by March 31, says finance minister

Finance Minister Dr Nigel Clarke says the Government is working to finalise a new policy to govern overtime payment for public sector workers by March 31, the end of the current financial year. 

Clarke says the Government has been "actively working" with public sector unions and staff associations to arrive at the final policy.

The new overtime policy is being developed under the controversial public sector compensation reform that was implemented over the last 12 months. It involved approximately 40 public sector unions and over 100 public bodies. 

Clarke says a feature of the reform has been the rationalisation of allowances paid in the public sector and chief among them is payment made for work done outside of normal working hours.
 
"Prior to the compensation restructure there were several different methodologies, across the public service, and across several occupational groups, to compensate for work done outside of normal working hours," he said in a statement Friday.

"These arrangements were characterised by a lack of equity, inconsistency of application and, in some cases, payments made whether or not work was carried out outside of normal working hours. These arrangements did not allow for the most efficient delivery services to the Jamaican people."

The minister says the new policy will establish "clear and consistent principles" to govern the treatment of work done outside of normal working hours and guidelines for the application of payment.

A proper management systems will also have to be established within ministries to ensure that the policy is implemented in a fiscally sustainable way, Clarke adds. 

Under the old system, some categories of workers were paid duty allowances regardless of whether they worked overtime while others who did additional work did not benefit from the allowance.

In other instances, persons would be able to claim overtime after working past a set time of the day but with the changes, managers will be able to roster people at various times daily to first cover the 40-hour work week. 

Follow The Gleaner on X, formerly Twitter, and Instagram @JamaicaGleaner and on Facebook @GleanerJamaica. Send us a message on WhatsApp at 1-876-499-0169 or email us at onlinefeedback@gleanerjm.com or editors@gleanerjm.com.