Annual bonus for employees suspended

Manama : All annual bonuses for public sector employees have been suspended this month, an official circular leaked in the internet read.

The circular was issued yesterday by the Deputy Prime Minister and the Financial Affairs and Rationalising Expenditure Ministerial Committee Head Shaikh Khalid bin Abdulla Al Khalifa.

“In the light of the financial crisis, which resulted in state revenues reduction due to oil price drop, it has been decided to stop the annual periodic allowances in January 2017 for all employees subjected to the civil service law as well as all the employees in the government authorities whose employees’ affairs are managed based on special regulations, including those who are not under the civil service regulations yet,” the circular read.

It’s noteworthy that the government had previously stopped all promotions, bonuses and part-time works until the budget approval for the new fiscal year.

The circular has created a wave of controversy among Bahrainis yesterday, especially lawmakers, who called for an urgent meeting to discuss the “sudden decision”.

“The annual bonus is the right of employees and must be disbursed as per the schedule by the end of this month. The gains of the citizens should not be harmed in any way,” a joint parliamentary statement mentioned yesterday.