Civil servants USD Covid-19 allowance: Zimbabwe civil servants are going to be paid in (USD) United States Dollars. A letter from Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube has revealed that the government resolved to pay a Covid-19 allowance of USD 75 for every civil servant. Pensioners will be paid USD 30 per month as Covid-19 allowance.
Government has released the following communication:
Read More: Breaking News: Doctors, nurses go on strike, stage demonstration in Harare
Mthuli Ncube communication on payment of Civil servants Covid-19 allowance in USD
PAYMENT OF CIVIL SERVICE COVID-19 ALLOWANCES AND SALARY REVIEW
Pursuant to Government’s commitment to continuously review and improve the remuneration framework for Civil Servants, taking into account the transitory economic challenges being currently experienced in the country, which have been exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic, Government makes the following announcement: –
1. With immediate effect, all Civil Servants’ Salaries will be adjusted upwards by 50%. This increase also applies to all Government Pensions.
2. In addition, all Civil Servants will be paid a flat, non-taxable, Covid-19 Allowance of USD75.00 per month.
3. Government Pensioners will be paid a flat, non-taxable, Covid-19 Allowance of USD30.00 per month.
4. Government has taken due regard of the fact that addressing the wage challenges faced across the Civil Service, any salary reviews will need to be done within a holistic framework in order to ensure that such a review does not impose a negative shock in the market.
5. This interim arrangement is for period of 3 months, starting from June 2020.
It is not yet clear whether the civil servants and the pensioners will be able to withdraw the cash or they will utilise it from a Nostro account and also whether they will be required to purchase at the prevailing ZWL 25 per USD 1 official rate.
The allowance comes in the midst of civil unrest over the government’s lack of action on civil servant salaries and the cushioning of the poor people from the Covid-19 lockdown effects. Nurses and doctors at Parirenyatwa staged a demonstration today over dangerous working conditions and living wages.
The Minister of Finance promised to look further intervene with other non monetary benefits for civil servants.