(MENAFN- Muscat Daily) Stemming from His Majesty the Sultan's keenness to provide citizens with a secure and dignified life, the following Royal Orders have been issued:
• To standardise grades and salaries for employees at various units, organisations and establishments of the public sector with effect from January 1, 2014, without prejudice to any employee receiving higher salary than provided by the new schedule.
As proved by studies, this will lead to an increase in salary allocation in the state budget by 39 per cent. It is hoped that the standardisation of grades and salaries will have a positive effect on the Omani economy and make it more capable of attracting investments and projects.
As a precaution against any decline in oil and gas prices, the two main sources of state revenues, the additional financial burden that will result from the standardisation should remain within the limit of the prescribed increase and should not affect the state general reserve in case of a decline in oil prices. The following facts should be taken into consideration:
1) Clear controls for employment should be developed. These measures should rely on efficiency and suitability for the jobs.
2) The promotions should be properly controlled and depend on efficiency in performance.
3) The non-basic allowance may be among the clauses that may be affected in case the state revenues decline.
• To form a full time team from various agencies. This team will be delegated with the task of revising the nature of work allowances and any other allowances spent in some units. These allowances should be studied in depth in terms of eligibility and financial consequences. The team should develop standard rules and regulations that will apply to all public sector employees in a way that ensures justice.
• To ensure proper implementation of the standard schedule for grades and salaries and to eliminate any act that may hamper the implementation or make it lose its basic aims, the government units are directed to ensure the following:
1) Stop introducing any new nature of work allowances or approve any increase in the current allowances till the team delegated with the task of revising the nature of work allowances or any other allowance paid at some government units completes its assignment.
2) Stop financial or grade promotions with effect from November 11, 2013 till employees are placed in the grades of the new schedule. It should be stressed that the right of seniority in getting promotion will always remain secured.
• To standardise pension benefits and liabilities of beneficiaries towards the pension funds, as per the pension system for employees at the Diwan of Royal Court. The Ministry of Finance has been delegated with the task of conducting a study to assess the financial condition of different pension funds related to public sector employees. The study will ensure the ability of these funds to meet their obligations towards the standard pension system and the sources needed to meet such obligations.
To ensure that these funds carry out their prospective roles, they are to abide by the following:
1) Control the service period needed to qualify for benefits from the standard pension system and abide by the same. This will be clearly indicated in the Civil Service Law.
2) The direct link between the contribution and the pension fund. Any increase in pension salary should necessarily be associated with an increase in contribution, which is a form of saving for the employee in return for multiple benefits at the retirement age.
3) Ensure that anyone who desires to benefit from early pension should pay his and the government's obligations towards this fund.
• In a bid to regularise the rights and obligations of public sector employees; to control and monitor their appointments, promotions, performance and obligations; and to prevent any act that may violate the Civil Service Law while laying claim to benefits and other issues, His Majesty the Sultan has ordered the setting up of a committee from various ministries. This committee will evaluate the Civil Service Law and other career-related laws followed by the public sector units that will adopt the new standardised grades and salaries to identify deficiencies and adopt a single law that applies to all units. The committee should finish its work and present a new law no later than July 2014.
• In a bid to prevent any manipulation of the move to standardise grades and salaries, the various agencies concerned will monitor prices of goods, prevent any increase and take action against violators. They will also monitor banks to identify an increase in loan ceiling, if any, following the Royal
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