The Fiji Public Service Association continues to advise its members at the Fiji Revenue and Customs Service to hold on to their job as the ex-gratia payment on redundancy promised by the tax authority will not last for more than a few years and it will be difficult for them to continue their livelihood without continued employment.
This advice comes after the FRCS acting CEO Jonetani Vuto, in a circular issued on February 2, 2021, said the service was re-offering voluntary redundancy option for all employees which will be managed through expression of interest process that opened on February 2 and closes on February 15.
According to the circular, as part of the voluntary redundancy option staff will also receive an ex-gratia payment of $2000.
FPSA general secretary Rajeshwar Singh said on November 30, 2020, the acting chief executive officer wrote to the Union giving notice of the proposed Compulsory Redundancy to 83 Primary Line officers (PLO) pursuant to Section 107(1)(a) of the ERA 2007.
He said in response the Union wrote on December 1, 2020, making two (2) suggestions of (i) call back PLO to duty when Borders re-open and (ii) Leave Without Pay (LWP) instead of Redundancy and they be called back to duty when Borders re-open returning to their post on the same terms and conditions of service on which they last served.
According to Mr Singh again, on December 21, 2020, the FRCS acting CEO wrote to the Union informing that their decision for Compulsory redundancy remained unchanged and FRCS cannot guarantee job security but should an opportunity exist in future the Primary Line Officers will be considered subject to the Recruitment Policy.
