The Civil Service Agency (CSA) and the National Social Security and Welfare Corporation (NASSCORP) are working together to strengthen their procedures for reforming the retirement process of civil servants.
This initiative aims to ensure a smooth transition for eligible employees from the Civil Service payroll to the pension payroll managed by NASSCORP.
During a special press briefing over the weekend, CSA Boss Josiah Joekai Sr. announced that the agencies have identified about 1,500 employees from 30 Ministries, Agencies, and Commissions (MAC) who are now eligible for retirement.
They are collaborating with other relevant entities of the Government of Liberia (GoL) to submit their retirement listings by July 17, 2024.
This effort will increase the total number of employees eligible for retirement in Fiscal Year 2024.
Following the submission of retirement listings by outstanding GoL spending entities, all personnel designated for retirement in 2024 will cease to work as of July 31, 2024.
Recognizing the challenges associated with transitioning from active service to retirement, the Civil Service Human Resources Policy Manual, Section 60 2(d), provides for the payment of Handshake Packages to retirees.
Additionally, it offers guidance and counseling to prospective retirees to encourage a positive attitude towards retirement and alleviate their uncertainties and worries.
Joekai highlighted that the CSA’s guidance and counseling sessions are designed to help retirees plan for the future.
The payment of retirement pensions by NASSCORP is also crucial in alleviating some of their financial burdens.
Despite the established benefits, Joekai noted that key gaps remain in implementation.
For instance, disbursements of the handshake package and retirement pension benefits often face delays, and pre-retirement counseling is usually insufficient to prepare employees for their new phase of life.
To address these concerns, Joekai stated that employees eligible for retirement will be allowed to stay at home in August, September, and October 2024 while receiving their salaries on a handshake basis for these three months.
“They will be formally retired and removed from the GoL payroll beginning in November 2024”.
Moreover, the CSA, in partnership with NASSCORP, plans to offer nationwide pre-retirement counseling and motivational workshops for prospective retirees by mid-August 2024.
According to home the approved timelines for these workshops and all other retirement reform strategies will be officially communicated to the concerned entities by July 25, 2024.
