Staff at the Social Health Authority (SHA) have entered August without July salaries or even payslips, as a deafening silence from management pushes many to the brink.
Both junior and senior employees have been affected by the unexplained delay, which comes in the wake of ongoing legal wrangles and staffing complications following the authority’s structural overhaul.
Many now find themselves struggling to meet basic financial obligations, and efforts to negotiate with banks have hit a wall due to the absence of any formal communication from the employer.
“We honestly don’t know what’s happening. It’s one frustration after another. People are unsure whether we’ll even be paid. The silence is worrying,” said a worker who spoke to The Standard on condition of anonymity, for fear of reprisal.
This challenge comes despite a recent ruling by the Labour and Employment Court in favour of the workers. The court ordered SHA to pay staff in full, without deductions, even in cases where employees had been redeployed to different departments.
However, the relief was short-lived. SHA filed an appeal almost immediately, casting renewed doubt over when or if the salaries would be paid.
Curiously, amid the salary dispute, SHA has forged ahead with its hiring plans. Just days ago, the authority advertised 64 senior-level vacancies in key departments such as ICT, finance, benefits and human resources.
More openings are expected in the coming weeks, as SHA caps its workforce at 815 positions, less than half of the 1,732 previously employed under the now-defunct National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF).
The recruitment drive has led to anxiety among existing staff, as several roles that existed under NHIF have not reappeared in the new structure. In addition, new qualification thresholds, now requiring a university degree, have excluded a large number of diploma-holding employees.
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