KINGSTON, Jamaica (JIS) – Civil servants are to receive several improved benefits under the new wage agreement for the 2015 to 2017 contract period.

This is in addition to the fixed figure increase of $48,000 to annual salaries across the public service, which will see each worker getting $4,000 per month.

The Supper/Meal allowance has moved from $550 per occasion to $700 per occasion, effective April 1, 2015.

“There is some retroactivity, in that persons who have claimed this allowance in the past since April 1, will be able to claim the difference between the $700 and $550 for the each occasion they would have worked late,” President of the Jamaica Civil Service Association, O’Neil Grant, told JIS News in an interview.

There is also an increase in Taxi Allowance from $550 per occasion to $700 per occasion for round town transportation. For those who live out of town, the taxi allowance has moved from $900 to $1,200 per occasion, effective April 1, 2015.

Public sector employees who are designated travelling officers are to receive increases in their upkeep over the next two years.

In terms of Subsistence allowance, this has been increased from $1,608 to $2,500 per 24 hour period, effective April 1, 2015. For shift allowance, this has moved from $11 per hour to $13.75 per hour or up to $20 per hour in certain instances.

The funeral grant for persons who are permanently employed and have died in the line of duty or after a prolonged illness has been increased to $400,000, up from $220,000, effective April 1, 2015.

For employees who have died from natural causes, not related to the work that they do, the funeral grant has been increased from $100,000 to $300,000. For employees who are part time workers and would have worked a minimum of 156 days in a year, they will be paid a funeral grant of $120,000, up from $80,000.

In terms of  the death benefit for officers who die in the line of duty, this is moving from $8 million to $10 million.

Also, a $45 million Fund for tertiary education grants is to be established for children of public sector workers.

Government officials and representatives of the Jamaica Confederation of Trade Unions (JCTU), representing some public sector workers, signed off on the Heads of Agreement on August 11, during a ceremony at the Office of the Prime Minister.

Grant said this will be implemented by November 2015, and officers who are in this situation can apply to the Finance Ministry to surrender their high interest loans for cheaper loans from the Government.