SINGAPORE — Civil servants will get a year-end Annual Variable Component (AVC) of 1.1 months, with lower-wage officers getting an AVC of at least S$1,600, the Public Service Division announced today (Nov 21).

Some 1,300 civil servants earning less than S$1,460 will benefit from the minimum AVC payment of S$1,600. For example, an officer earning a monthly salary of S$1,200 will get a year-end AVC of S$1,600. This is S$280 more than the S$1,320 he would be getting at 1.1 months of his monthly salary.

All civil servants will also get the Non-Pensionable Annual Allowance (NPAA) of one month, to be paid in December along with the AVC.

Its statement said: “The Singapore economy grew by 5.8 per cent on a year-on-year basis and 1.3 per cent on a seasonally adjusted quarter-on-quarter annualised basis in the third quarter of 2013.

“Based on the Ministry of Trade and Industry’s forecast, Singapore’s GDP growth is expected to be 3.5 per cent to 4 per cent for 2013, supported by the slight pickup in the global economy and resilient domestically-oriented sectors like construction and business services.

“Against this economic backdrop, civil servants will get a year-end Annual Variable Component (AVC) of 1.1 months, with lower-wage officers getting an AVC of at least S$1,600. This signals the Government’s continued commitment to help lower-wage workers.”

The National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) has responded to the announcement saying that it is “heartened by the Government’s consideration of our call to help lower-waged officers through the minimum AVC payment of S$1,600 for lower-waged civil servants which will benefit at least 1,300 officers”.

“The Labour Movement is glad that our civil servants will be fairly rewarded for their commitment and dedication to the public service through a total AVC and NPAA package of 2.5 months for 2013,” it said. AGENCIES