It was decided to save 36 billion on officials in 2024

In the coming year, the authorities are increasing the salaries of some public sector employees. It is reported that the average indexation will be almost 10%. True, some categories will experience a significant increase in salary as early as January 1, while other public sector employees will have to wait until October 1 for an increase. Well, civil servants will be completely left out of indexation in 2024. “MK” found out the details of the upcoming payments and those categories of public sector employees for whom the “golden rain” will fall

Generally speaking, according to the law, indexation is due not only to public sector employees – not to public sector employees either. This is stated in Article 130 of the Labor Code of the Russian Federation. But there are nuances here. The main one is the decision at the discretion of the employer. He must assess the level of inflation, the minimum wage and the financial situation of his enterprise. And based on this, make the final decision: raise salaries or not.

As practice shows, employers rarely index the salaries of their employees working in different joint-stock companies and private structures. The immortal slogan prevails here: “There is no money, but you hold on.”

In this regard, public sector employees are more reliably protected by the state than their colleagues working at various commercial enterprises. An increase in wages in 2024 is planned for workers in social institutions and culture, law enforcement agencies, teachers, medical workers – there are only 11 categories on the list. For them, the indexation rate will be from 4.5 to 9.8%.

From January 1, workers in the fields of education, healthcare, social security, culture and science will receive an increase of 9.8%. The remaining groups will be indexed in the fall of 2024 by 4.5%. We are talking about employees of Rosstandart and Rospotrebnadzor, the Ministry of Emergency Situations and law enforcement agencies, military personnel, rural and forestry workers.

Indexation in 2024 will bypass civil servants. They will have to wait at least until the beginning of 2025. These are judges, civil servants, State Duma deputies and employees of some federal executive bodies. The authorities intend to save approximately 36 billion rubles on them.

We ask Doctor of Economic Sciences, Professor of the Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation Alexander Safonov about what caused the difference in percentages and indexation periods.

– For some categories of public sector employees, their salaries will be indexed by 9.8% from January 1 next year. And for other state employees only 4.5% – and from October 1. What is this connected with?

– The fact is that a number of categories of public sector employees were included in the list of the May 2012 presidential decree on ensuring the ratio of the average salary of doctors, teachers, scientists and other groups with the average salary in the subject of the Federation. For example, doctors must receive at least 200% of the average salary in their region. To maintain this proportion, indexation must be in accordance with the average salary in the region. This has not been established for other state employees. To reduce costs, the Ministry of Finance applies indexation at a later date. Then budget expenses do not last 12 months, but less.

– Civil servants also “sit” on the budget. Why did they get a ride this time?

– It is assumed that the level of payment for civil servants is still higher than for public sector employees. In conditions of budget deficit, this is the main reason for freezing their salaries.

– Starting next year, the minimum wage will increase by 3 thousand rubles. Does this mean that the salaries of all working Russians should increase in proportion to this amount?

– No, it doesn’t mean… The minimum wage is needed so that people don’t get paid 10 or 5 thousand instead of today’s minimum wage of 16 thousand rubles. All countries have a minimum wage. The state guarantees employees a minimum rate, below which the employer has no right to pay.

But since the minimum wage is the base rate from which salaries for more highly qualified groups of workers are calculated, an increase in the minimum wage may (though not necessarily) lead to an increase in salaries.

This is an incentive for employers, but it does not mean an automatic recalculation of salaries upward. It all depends on the employer.

– If a budget institution is located in a poor municipality, will its employees receive indexation? And from what sources?

– Salary indexation is carried out from three sources of funding: federal, regional and municipal budgets – depending on what level of government, for example, a school or hospital belongs to. If the regional budget is in deficit, the federal treasury allocates subsidies to it. The subsidized municipal budget, in turn, is helped by the regional one. So, in any case, funds must be found to index the salaries of public sector employees of these categories.