Suva City Council staff are celebrating a series of major benefits, including sick leave payouts, a 5 percent salary increase and long-overdue promotions for those who have been acting in positions for years.
SCC CEO, Tevita Boseiwaqa says the council has prioritized staff welfare and well-being since the new administrators joined earlier last year.
He says the first step was addressing pending sick leave entitlements, which were fully paid out before Christmas.
The Council CEO says this initiative acknowledged the dedication of the staff and ensured their benefits were honored.
Boseiwaqa says the council also approved a 5 percent pay increase to help staff cope with the rising cost of living.
He says the increment is being rolled out in phases with 2 percent already paid to wage earners.
The Council CEO says that the remaining 3 percent will be disbursed in installments, with the full amount settled by April.
He says many staff members had been acting in positions for two to three years without confirmation.
Boseiwaqa says the council decided to regularise these roles and letters of confirmation will be issued today.
He says the new roles will take effect from today giving employees the recognition they deserve.
Boseiwaqa says the council has also reinstated permanent tenure for employees, aligning with government policy.
He says staff from the director level downward will now have tenure up to 60 years, while the CEO position will remain on a four-year contract.
He adds that to maintain accountability, an annual performance assessment framework will ensure staff performance is reviewed periodically.
