Westford calls out HR over late salary complaints from public sector workers

Advisor to the Minister of Public Service Dr Jennifer Westford has called out human resource personnel within the public sector over complaints from workers about late payments of salaries.

Dr Westford was addressing the Personnel Practitioners Workshop at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre, Liliendaal Monday.

According to Dr Westford, staff from government ministries and agencies have complained about late payouts and the inability to get timely documentation to receive benefits, among other issues.

“…it is your responsibility to ensure that all documentation is done and to ensure that they get their salaries by the first month…and it’s not happening.

“We hear of circumstances where persons are working for four months and five months and not being paid,” Dr Westford said.

She noted that there are similar complaints that persons who go on maternity and paternity leave are unable to access relevant documents and so are frustrated in accessing their benefits.

Meanwhile, Minister of Public Service, Sonia Parag said that the personnel sometimes get blamed when agencies employ persons without authorisation. She reminded that staff have to adhere to their mandate and agencies should get approval from the Public Service Ministry (PSM) before persons are employed.

“The ministries and the agencies are physically employing the persons and then coming to the Ministry for an approval…you have to get the approval from the Ministry of Public Service before you can physically employ…,” Minister Parag reminded.

The Minister said these unauthorised employments will not be tolerated and urged the PSM officers to continue working assiduously to meet the requirements of the public sector.

Dr Westford said the workshop is timely in ensuring that these practitioners, who are responsible for the welfare of workers in the public sector, are reminded of their roles, mandates and the need for efficiency within these agencies.

“All of you will have in your possession something called your job description.

“The personnel officers are the cornerstones of the department that you work in, it is the cornerstone of the Public Service – that is where our human resource management resides.

“And if we don’t have a strong system our building is on shaky ground and we are a little shaky because those departments are not functioning the way they ought to,” the Advisor said.