S'pore civil servants to get 1.05-month year-end bonus for 2024

The Singapore government will be paying all civil servants a year-end bonus of 1.05 months.

Those in grades equivalent to MX15 and MX16 and those in the Operations Support Scheme will receive an additional one-time payment of S$600.

Additionally, all civil servants will receive a 1-month non-pensionable annual allowance, also known as the 13-month bonus.

The year-end payments above were announced by the Public Service Division (PSD) in a Nov. 25 media release.

1.5 months in full-year bonus

Together with the 0.45-month mid-year bonus they received earlier this year, civil servants will receive a total of 1.5 months in full-year bonus.

Those in the more junior grades will receive a total lump-sum payment of up to S$850 in 2024.

In 2023, civil servants received a total of 0.9-month bonus.

Accounted for raised GDP forecast

According to the PSD, the year-end payments for civil servants for 2024 are computed after "close consultation with the public sector unions".

One factor that was taken into consideration for these numbers was the increased gross domestic product (GDP) growth forecast for Singapore in 2024.

On Nov. 22, the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) raised Singapore's GDP growth forecast for the year from 2 per cent to 3 per cent to around 3.5 per cent.

MTI said at the time that its assessment took into account the better-than-expected performance of the Singapore economy in the first three quarters of 2024, which grew at 3.8 per cent on a year-on-year basis.

The updated forecast also accounted for the latest global and domestic situations, added the ministry.

Expanding employment in Singapore

In tandem with a strong economic performance, Singapore's total employment also continued to expand, said PSD.

Citing the Ministry of Manpower's labour market advance, PSD added that data showed the expansion took place while uncertainty in the global economy remained.

At the same time, unemployment rates and retrenchments remained low amidst a tight labour market.

Also considered NWC guidelines

Another factor taken into consideration for civil servants' year-end payments was the National Wages Council (NWC) guidelines for 2024/2025, said PSD.

Amongst other things, the guidelines encouraged employers to take into the improved economic outlook and reward employees with wage increases that are fair and sustainable.

The NWC also recommended that employers uplift the wages of lower-wage workers (LWWs).

Those who have done well and have positive business prospects should provide their LLWs with a built-in wage increase at the higher end of 5.5 per cent to 7.5 per cent of gross monthly wage.

Alternatively, they can bump their LWW's wage by at least S$100 to S$120, whichever of these two options is higher.

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