TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

• Pay scales for Advisers 3-1 will be issued as revised from time to time;
• Job information and curriculum vitae for positions of senior consultant/adviser should be submitted to the Ministry of Finance and Planning for evaluation and pay determination;
• Fixed travelling allowance will be based on the revision of civil service travelling allowance from time to time.

Before employment, prospective consultant/advisers should produce:

(i) Curriculum Vitae

(ii) Proof of qualification

(v) A list of the duties being performed by adviser/consultant must be provided.

LEAVE RATES

Vacation ­ 15 working days a year

Casual ­ 5 working days a year

Sick ­ 14 Calendar days a year

Executive, special and personal assistants to Parliamentarians

ALLOCATION

Cabinet has given approval for the provision of executive, special or personal assistants to Cabinet Ministers, Ministers of State and Parliamentary Secre-taries, the Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives and the Attorney General in accordance with the following allocations:

• Cabinet Ministers

(i) Elected ­ One special assistant, one executive assistant

(ii) Non-elected ­ One executive assistant only.

• Ministers of State and Parliamentary Secretaries

(i) Elected ­ One special assistant only

(ii) Non-elected ­ One personal assistant only

• Attorney-General, Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the House

One special assistant only

DUTIES

• Executive assistants
• The primary function of an executive assistant is to assist Ministers in matters relating to their portfolio responsibilities.
• Special assistants

The main function of the special assistant is to assist elected members of Parliament who have portfolio responsibilities in matters related to their constituencies. This assistance is necessary as Members are often absent from their constituencies due to their portfolio responsibilities.

• Personal assistants

Primarily, personal assistants are required to assist non-elected Members in matters relating to their portfolio responsibilities.

REMUNERATION

Circulars will be issued from time to time setting out the salaries payable. Where a Qualification Bar (QB) is inserted in a salary scale the following rates are applicable.

Qualification Bar is a point within a pay scale/band above which an individual cannot be paid unless he/she satisfies a specific qualification requirement. In the case of the executive, special or personal assistants, the requirement for proceeding beyond the bar is a first degree from an accredited university/tertiary institution.

TRAVELLING

• Commuted Allowance

Officers who own motor cars should be paid a fixed commuted motor car allowance at the approved Government rate. No mileage is payable.

• Transportation Allowance

For assistants who do not possess a motor car a transportation allowance is payable in accordance with the rate advised in circulars from time to time.

APPOINTMENTS

• The rate at which each executive, special or personal assistant is to be paid will be based on his/her qualifications and work experience, as well as the duties assigned to the position.
• Permanent Secretaries are asked to ensure that the prospective appointees within their ministries submit to them the following:

(a) Curriculum Vitae

(b) Proof of qualification (originals or officially certified copies).

(c) A list of duties to be performed by each executive, special or personal assistant must be provided.

Approval for the appointment of all executive, special and personal assistants must be obtained from the personnel officer. The Public Service Establishment Division, Ministry of Finance and Planning is to be sent copies of the letters of appointment.

LEAVE RATES

Vacation ­ 15 working days a year

Casual ­ 5 working days a year

Sick ­ 14 calendar days a year

GRATUITY

Fixed-Term Contract Officers

Emoluments

• When a contract officer is related to a post on the establishment and is being paid the exact (point-to-point) salary and allowances in accordance with the classification and pay of the post, the general revisions which are approved from time to time should be automatically extended to the contract officer in accordance with the conversion rules as stated in the Staff Orders;
• If a contract officer is not related to a post on the establishment or is not being paid the same salary and allowances accorded to an established classification level, revision should be in accordance with the terms of the contract or subject to the revision on the anniversary date of the contract.

STATUTORY PAYMENTS

All salaries, allowances and perquisites are subject to statutory payments in accordance with the regulations relating to Income Tax, Education Tax, the National Insurance Scheme and the National Housing Trust or any other regulation in force from time to time.

LEAVE

The leave rates allowed are:

Vacation ­ 15 working days a year

Casual ­ 5 working days a year

Sick ­ 14 calendar days a year

GRATUITY

• Gratuity is payable on basic salary and the element for vacation leave not taken during the contract period;
• Gratuity is payable at the satisfactory expiration of a contract period of not less than two years in the first instance; thereafter gratuity may be paid annually;
• For local contracts the maximum gratuity payable is 25 per cent of basic salary earned during the applicable period of the contract;
• Persons engaged on contract/ gratuity terms in Jamaican agencies/offices overseas are eligible for gratuity of no more than 12.5 per cent of salary earned.

TERMINATION

A contract may be terminated prior to the agreed expiration by notice in writing on either side. Notice period should be in accordance with the following rules:

• for a one (1) year contract ­ two weeks' notice;
• for a two (2) year contract ­ one month's notice;
• for a contract of three (3) or more years ­ three months' notice.