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Doctors, lawyers and other professionals employed in the public service are staring at a pay cut after the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) proposed to abolish allowances that they are paid every month.

Among the perks that SRC wants abolished is the non-practice allowance, paid to professionals who leave  relatively better paying private practice for public service jobs.

SRC has explained that payment of non-practice allowance was intended to facilitate attraction and retention of specific scarce, rare and critical professional skills in the public service.

Case-by-case

While the allowance served the purpose when it was first introduced, SRC said that the situation has changed.

“Over the years, the capacity and need for professional skills in the public service has progressively grown to fill the gap for which the non-practice allowance was payable,” explained SRC.

The Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) has, however, opposed the proposal to abolish the allowances.

The commission has, however, proposed to the national and county governments that, where payment of the allowance is contractual, it will continue as a benefit to an individual.

The commission said in a statement yesterday that it will provide guidance on implementation of this allowance on a case-by-case basis.

“In line with Article 10 and 47 of the Constitution, among other legal provisions, SRC hereby invites stakeholders and members of the public to submit written memoranda on the proposal to review Non-Practice Allowance in the public service,” SRC said.

Existing CBA

Where payment of the allowance is negotiated under a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), SRC said allowance should be retained until lapse of the existing CBA.

“While issuing advice on parameters for subsequent Collective Bargaining Negotiations, SRC will progressively review the allowance in CBAs, and align it to its advice,” SRC added.

The stakeholders’ written views should be addressed to the SRC Secretary and submitted by March 7.

SRC proposes to review non-practice allowance in the public service pursuant to Article 230(4)(b) and (5) of the Constitution and Sections 11 and 12 of SRC Act,

2011.

According to SRC, the overarching objective of the proposed review of the allowance is to streamline its management and administration to improve transparency, accountability, equity and fairness.