Legal officers raise concerns on reduced pay, benefits
A total of 81 legal officers signed the petition, including those employed by local councils and various government agencies.
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A group of legal officers has submitted a petition against changes made to their salary structure following the government’s harmonisation of pay for over 20,000 civil service employees.
A total of 81 legal officers signed the petition, including those employed by local councils and various government agencies.
The petition was sent to ten institutions: the Office of the President, the Parliament, the Parliamentary Finance Committee, the Bar Council, the Local Government Authority, the Labour Relations Authority, the Ministry of Finance, the Pay Commission, the Ministry of Local Government, and the Civil Service Commission.
According to the petition, the new changes have reduced certain benefits previously available to legal officers. It states that the cap on overtime pay and adjustments to the job matrix have led to lower total pay than before.
Previously, legal officers were divided into four categories. Under the revised structure, these have been reduced to two. Although there has been a small increase in the basic salary for both categories, the earlier special allowance has been removed. A capped attendance allowance has been introduced instead, and the service allowance has been reduced.
The change in total salary for legal officers working in local councils is as follows:
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Legal officers in the first grade previously received MVR 19,161, but now receive MVR 18,920 — a reduction of MVR 240.
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Legal officers in the upper grade previously received MVR 20,220, but now receive MVR 18,920 — a reduction of MVR 1,300.
Legal officers in other government agencies, who were promoted every two years, previously received up to MVR 18,706 at the highest grade. This amount has now been adjusted to MVR 18,920.
The petition highlights that while salaries have been marginally adjusted, deductions for pensions and the cap on overtime have reduced overall earnings. It notes that previously, working five days a week for eight hours a day earned MVR 15,863, whereas under the new system, working six days a week for the same hours earns MVR 14,540.
The petition also raises several concerns:
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Legal officers employed by councils and agencies are prohibited from private practice but do not receive a non-practice allowance.
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The removal of the step allowance has equated long-serving officers with newly recruited employees, disregarding years of service and progression.
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The revised grading has resulted in legal officers with master’s degrees earning less than employees with diploma-level qualifications in other fields.
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Heads of legal sections have additional responsibilities that are not recognised in the new pay structure.
The petition concludes that changes in position titles and the introduction of new grades have caused salary reductions for several existing employees.
