By Staff Reporter

Government has indefinitely extended the US$75 and US$30 Covid 19 allowance paid to civil servants and pensioners respectively and has since extended the same allowances to contract workers in various line Ministries as well as to aides of the visually impaired workforce.

In a statement yesterday, Public Service Commission (PSC) Secretary Ambassador Jonathan Wutawunashe said the allowance will be converted to local currency at the prevailing formal market rate.

“In September 2020, Government extended payment of Covid 19 allowances up to December 2020.In light of the surge in Covid-19 cases in Zimbabwe, Government has, with effect from January 2021, further extended payment of Covid-19 allowances to members of the Public Service, pensioners, contract workers in various line ministries and aides of the visually-impaired.

“Members of the Public Service, including contract workers and aides of the visually-impaired will be paid the local currency (ZW$) equivalent of US$75, while pensioners will get the local currency (ZW$) equivalent of US$30,”said Ambassador Wutawunashe.

Ambassador Wutawunashe further said that the Covid 19 allowances for contract workers and the visually impaired will be backdated to 1 June 2020.

“Payment will be made in ZW$ at the prevailing auction rate on the date of payment. Payment of the (ZW$) equivalent of US$75 to contract workers and aides of the visually-impaired will be back dated to 1 June 2020,” said Ambassador Wutawunashe.

According to Ambassador Wutawunashe, the duration of this extension will be guided by the status of the pandemic as well as budgetary capacity.

Government introduced the Covid 19 allowances for civil servants and pensioners in June last year as one of its interim steps to cushion its employees during ongoing disruptions caused by Covid-19.

In addition to the payment of Covid 19 allowances, Government has since pledged to assist its workers infected in the line of duty.