Last November 6th, while the whole world was watching the US elections, the unions signed therenewal of the 2022-24 contract for the Central Functions sector. Or rather, some trade unions have signed it. The agreement was signed by Cisl-Fp and the autonomous trade unions Confsal Unsa, Flp and Confintesa Fp which together reach a majority of 54,6%. Fp-Cgil and Uil-Pa have not signed. The agreement will now have to pass the usual checks at the General Accounting Office and the Court of Auditors before finally being signed and the new rules coming into force.
Among the most important innovations foreseen by the new contract for state employees there are average increases of 165 euros per month, easier use of smart working, meal vouchers even for those who take advantage of agile work, but also the possibility of experimenting with the 4-day rush week while maintaining the 36 hours per week and the same salary. Let's see in detail, what changes for public employees.
State contract: the audience
The new 2022/24 contract covers 193.851 employees of ministries, tax agencies and non-economic public bodies including INPS, INAIL, ACIS and others.
State increases: here's how much they amount to based on the classifications
As mentioned, the agreement provides for a average increase of 165,85 euros gross per month, for almost half advanced for 2024 from the super-contractual vacation allowance paid at the end of last year, and arrears of approximately 850 euros, also reduced compared to the usual from the advance payment last December.
In detail, the operators will be able to count on 121,40 euros gross per month more. For the assistants it goes up to 127,70 euros gross per month, which becomes 155,10 euros for the officials. Finally, for the higher professionalism you get to 193,90 euros gross more per month.
In percentage terms it is a average increase of 6% against the initial request of the unions for a full recovery of the inflation already accrued in the three-year period considered of 17%.
News on allowances and promotions
Workers who will take on roles of organizational position which will lead to greater tasks and responsibilities without however receiving a real promotion, will be able to receive an allowance of 3.500 euros per year, compared to the maximum of 2.600 previously foreseen.
On the "progressions”, the new contract instead provides for the extension until June 2026 of the exemption that allows even those who do not have the qualifications required by the new professional system for the various levels to move up the hierarchical ladder (in practice, a degree and 5 years of experience, or a diploma and 10 years of experience to become assistants or officials).
State employees: the short 4-day week is coming
The trial of the public sector employee benefit has begun short weekYou will be able to choose to work four days a week instead of five, with the same salary but maintaining unchanged "the timetable ordinary working week of 36 hours”. Translated: those who want to take advantage of this possibility will have to work 9 hours a day plus a lunch break. There is another condition: the administrations that decide to participate in the experiment will have to guarantee “thethe level of services provided to users”. Therefore, there will not be an extra day of closure for the counters, as part of an experiment that at this point seems to be reserved mostly for central administrations that do not have direct relations with the public.
The division of working hours into four days will ultimately lead to a re-proportioning of working days. annual holidays as well as all other absences from service provided for by law and/or by the National Collective Labour Agreements.
State employees: smart working will be easier with the new contract
The new contract provides for an important innovation regarding smart working. In fact, it is eliminated the requirement for “prevalence” of in-person work, thus giving public employees the opportunity, in certain cases, to work remotely for more than 50% of their working hours.
It will also be easier to take advantage of smart working for the new hires and for those in conditions of particular need. For workers with particular health needs or who assist family members with disabilities in serious situations pursuant to reads 104 o parents with small children, we read in the draft, "and for the other cases identified during the supplementary bargaining it is possible to extend the number of days of work carried out in smart working mode compared to those foreseen for the remaining staff".
Meal vouchers also for those who are smart working
Another change concerns the provision of meal vouchers also for smart working days. To date, in fact, tickets are recognized or not depending on the decisions of the individual administration. "For the purposes of providing the meal voucher, the conventional working hours of the working day performed in smart working mode are equal to the ordinary working hours that the employee would have performed for the same day if he had performed the service in person", reads the draft. In this area, however, the intervention of the Ministry of Economy and Finance will be necessary to verify the availability of resources.
