SRC announces new pay for State agencies workers

The Salaries and Remuneration Commission on Friday announced a job grading and pay structure for service and regulatory State corporations and commercial state corporations.

Employees in job group E5 of the service and State corporations will earn a maximum of Sh812,970 and a minimum of Sh650,376 while those under the same grade in the commercial State corporations will earn a maximum of Sh903,300 and a minimum of Sh722,640.

Those in the lowest grade-D1 of the Peterson — the job evaluation philosophy that examines characteristics of work and pay — will earn Sh253,333 on the maximum and a minimum of Sh187,654, if they work for the service corporation they will earn a maximum of Sh281,481 and minimum of Sh208,505 in the commercial State corporation.

READ: Civil servants' pay rise plan in top gear

EQUAL PAY
Implementation comes following the completion of the job evaluation that started in June 2015.

It was meant to rationalise the grading structure and guide the commission in reviewing salaries.

A total of 9,843 jobs in 98 service corporations, and 6,270 in 49 commercial and State corporations were evaluated.

SRC chairperson Sarah Serem said the commission wanted a structure that would ensure the principle of equal pay for work of equal value.

“This is important in ensuring stability and fair play in public institutions.

"It will also break the cycle of public servants moving from one government department to another due to pay without change in productivity,” Ms Serem said.

AFFORDABILITY
She added that productivity could also be enhanced through partnerships with workers’ unions.

The grading and salary structures unveiled at the Kenya School of Government were aligned with the structure communicated by the commission earlier.

Minimum and maximum pay is determined by the grade of the highest evaluated position.

SRC said salaries above the model structure would be retained but those that were lower would be adjusted.

This however would depend on the affordability and sustainability on the corporation itself.

HUMAN RESOURCE
Ms Serem added that some State corporations would wait a little longer as the commission resolved issues raised during and after the job evaluation clinics.

She urged employees to embrace the evaluation results, saying the commission is working towards an ideal structure.

The SRC boss recommended transformation in the way human resource in public service institutions is managed, saying it requires open minds.

In evaluating jobs, the commission considered accountability, decision-making, impact of the decisions by the job holder, job knowledge, managerial skills, problem solving ability, working conditions, responsibility among others.

PUBLIC WAGE
The commission then developed a structure aligned to every grade, based on budgetary allocation, ability of institutions to pay the salary and competitiveness of personnel.

Ms Serem said the project, which was expected to be completed in 18 months, was delayed because of diversity of public service jobs and that it was also the first of its kind in public service.

She however said it is a big step towards stability in the management of public wage.

GRADING STRUCTURES

In February, the commission engaged the two classes of corporations to cross-examine their grading structures so as to ensure the classification was fair and that the grades were well defined.

In November 2016, SRC released job evaluation results for commissions and independent agencies; counties; and commercial, service and regulatory State corporations, following the evaluation of more than 40,000 jobs.

Implementation of the new pay structure begins July this year.