FIJI

PUBLIC SERVICE DECREE, 1990
(Section 9)
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PUBLIC SERVICE (STATUTORY) REGULATIONS, 1990
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ARRANGEMENT OF REGULATIONS

REGULATION

1. Short title
2. Interpretation
3. Occupational classes and salary scales
4. Review of classification and grading by levels
5. Merit increase in salary
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IN exercise of the powers conferred upon it by section 9 of the Public Service Decree 1990, the Public Service Commission with the approval of the Minister has made the following Regulations.

PART I - PRELIMINARY

Short title and coming into force

1. These Regulations may be cited as the Public Service (Statutory) Regulations, 1990, and shall be deemed to have come into force on the 25th day of July, 1990.

Interpretation

2. In these Regulations unless the contest otherwise requires -

"Merit increase in salary" means an increase in salary based on an officer's performance. A consistent above average performance shall qualify an officer for a merit increase in salary;

"Officer" means a person employed in the public service but does not include a wage earner;

"Public Service Commission Circular" and "Fiji Public Service Official Circular" means the official publication issued under the authority of the Commission.

PART II - CLASSIFICATION, GRADING AND SALARIES

Occupational classes and salary scales

3. (1) The established staff of the Public Service shall consist of officers.

(2) The Commission shall determine occupational classes according to the nature of the duties required to be performed by the established staff:

Provided that -

(a) the Commission may determine such miscellaneous occupational classes otherwise than according to the nature of the duties as may be necessary to enable it to classify officers where so few are engaged in any occupation that the prescription of an occupational class according to the nature of their duties would not in the view of the Commission be warranted;

(b) to facilitate the administration of this regulation occupational classes may be grouped together in any related field.

(3) No person shall be eligible for appointment to any occupational class determined in accordance with the provisions of sub-regulation (2) unless he has such minimum educational to other qualifications as appropriate to the duties normally performed by members of that class unless in any particular case the Commission shall otherwise decide.

(4) The Commission shall subdivide each occupational class into grades according to the assessment of the relative degrees of responsibility and skill which are or may be required to be examined by officers of that occupational class, and shall determine a salary rate or range with a maximum salary rate for each grade.

(5) The Commission shall exercise its power to determine occupational classes in accordance with sub-regulations (2) and (4) by issuing Public Service decisions. Every such decision shall be published in the Public Service Commission Circular and shall come into force on a date to be specified therein or, if no date is specified, shall come into force on the day on which it is made.

Review of classification and grading by levels

4. (1) The Commission shall be responsible for keeping classification and grading within the Public Service under continuous review, having regard to the general level of remuneration and terms and conditions of employment in Fiji, and in discharging this responsibility the Commission shall:

(a) ascertain whether or not there is need to change the content, or salary scale or grading pattern of any occupational class;

(b) ensure that all posts are included in the occupational class most closely related to the duties involved; and

(c) ensure that every post in each occupational class is placed in a grade appropriate to the degree of responsibility and skill required in the discharge of its functions.

(2) If the grading of a post is altered in accordance with paragraph (c) of sub-regulation (1) and the new grading does not coincide with the grading of the officer for the time being holding the post, the Commission may either appoint the holder to the post at its new grading or it may declare the post vacant and fill it in any manner it deems appropriate.

(3) Any regrading pursuant to paragraph (c) of sub-regulation (1) shall take effect from such date as the Commission shall specify.

Merit increase in salary

5. (1) Except as otherwise prescribed merit increase in salary shall be regarded as an incentive towards the highest performance level and shall not be granted to an officer unless the officer's Permanent Secretary or Head of Department and the Commission are satisfied that such merit increase in salary may be granted, having taken into account all the criteria set out in Regulation 12(2) of the Public Service Commission (Constitution) Regulations, 1990.

(2) An annual confidential report on an officer's performance shall be submitted to the Commission in the prescribed form at least three months before the date on which an officer's eligibility for a merit increase in salary in accordance with subregulation (1) is determined by the Commission.

Made this 16th day of November 1990.

POSECI W. BUNE
Secretary, Public Service Commission