News

Pension for women civil servants

May 23, 2014 8:04 pm

About 400 women who joined the public service before 1st November 1971 will soon receive their long outstanding pension.

The women have waited more than forty years for justice on a claim worth more than two million dollars.

Ministry of Finance Accounts Executive Jonathan Dunn says the women are entitled to pension under the 1958 Pension Ordinance until the Fiji National Provident Fund came into existence.

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He says civil servants then, were given two options, either they remain with the government pension or join FNPF.

“These are for officers who joined the civil service – only female officers who joined the civil service within the period of December 1961to November 1971. All female officers who joined the service at the time, were eligible to remain in the pension scheme only if they remain unmarried during their time of employment under the government pension scheme.”

The women upon marriage were required to resign and be re-appointed, and automatically became FNPF members in the process.

And they were no longer entitled to pension.

356 out of the 371 women who lodged their claim, are eligible for payment.

The Finance Ministry expects to finalise a method of payment soon.