Wage wow! BD402 a month

TDT | Manama

Email: mail@newsofbahrain.com

Public sector wages have received a substantial uplift, with the minimum monthly pay rising sharply from BD250 to BD402 — a striking 60.8% increase that significantly lifts the earnings floor.

The Civil Service Bureau said the new figure comprises the basic salary, the social allowance and the cost of living improvement allowance.

In a written reply to MP Jaleela Alawi, the Bureau noted that the most recent adjustment to basic pay resulted in increases of up to around 36% for employees in the lowest grades. It said the average overall rise — factoring in both the revised basic salary and the newly introduced allowance — stood at about 25%, with the additional annual cost estimated at roughly BD200 million.

The Bureau introduced a fixed payment known as the cost of living improvement allowance for eligible staff, excluding those in senior positions and equivalent grades. Under Decision No. 45 of 2023, the monthly rates were raised from BD50 and BD60 to BD85 and BD100.

It said the BD402 minimum wage is derived from the combined total of the basic salary, social allowance and cost of living improvement allowance, and has become the benchmark for the broader salary structure. As a result, basic salaries across the civil service increased by approximately 15%.

The Bureau stressed that salaries and job-related benefits are governed by a legal framework, citing Article 119 of the Constitution, which covers salaries, pensions, compensation, assistance and rewards funded by the state treasury