EMPLOYEE AND INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS

EMPLOYEE AND INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS

The Employee Relations and Welfare Department saddled with the responsibility of maintaining a balance between employers and employees by creating a conducive work environment to meet the collective needs of each group, came into being sequel to the restructuring of the OHCSF in 2020. The Department, headed by Director, is made up of three (3) Divisions and each is headed by a Deputy Director. The Divisions are as follows: Benefits Administration (BA) Employees and Industrial Relations (EIR) and Human Resource Management Information System/Staff (HRMIS & SR).

 Some of the functions of Employee and Industrial Relations (EIR) division includes; Formulation, execution and review of policies pertaining to industrial relations; Administering matters relating to and serving as a secretariat to the meeting of Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council (JNPSNC) and National Public Service Negotiating Councils 1, 11 and 111;Liaising with relevant MDAs, Bodies, and Institutions at Federal and State levels on industrial matters; handling issues and complaints on industrial relations as well as Government labour relations emanating from Public Service, Trade Union and the MDAs; providing inputs for meetings of NCE and NCE Standing Committee on Scheme of Service, monitor the implementation of welfare initiatives across MDAs and prepare periodic performance reports, design and institutionalise a Reward and Recognition System in the Service and provide direction in institutionalising staff service awards within MDAs, promote and formulate gender-based policies that would address gender related issues such as sexual harassment and abuses, victimisation at workplace amongst others, and inclusion of vulnerable groups in the Public Service and promote the establishment and management of a Public Service Transportation Scheme.

Some of the functions of Human Resource Management Information System/Records Division includes; interpretation and clarification of pension policies on request from MDA’s and Parastatals; implementation of policies on pension matters; receive and process application for condonation and merger of service from the Federal Ministries, Extra-Ministerial Departments, Federal Government Parastatals, States, Military and Paramilitary; analyses and compiles complaints/petitions addressed to the Head of Civil Service of the Federation on pension matters to the Standing Committee on Pension for consideration and necessary action. It is important to state that the Section had in collaboration with PTAD & PenCom resolved over two hundred (200) number of complaints on pension matters addressed to the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation.

Recognition and Reward System is a globally recognised and acceptable practice, which has been institutionalised in the Federal Civil Service as one of the key deliverables of Pillar 6 of the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan 2021-2025 (FCSSIP 25) - Enhancing Value Proposition for Civil Servants (Staff Welfare). This was integrated and enforced into the System as a motivation tool to boost workers morale, engender efficient service delivery, productivity and good governance.

This system, which became effective in 2022 was evident during this year’s Civil Service Week celebration. This year 2023, the celebration of Civil Servants took another higher dimension at the Award Nite. This time around, three top prizes were announced as against one star prize announced the year before. A Star Prize of a Brand New 2022 JAC JS4 Luxury Model SUV was won by Mrs. Juwon Olayiwola of the Federal Ministry of Education; a 2 Bedroom Semi-Detached Bungalow won by Mr. Nwachukwu of Service Welfare Office, OHCSF; and the third prize, a Plot of Land, gifted to Mrs. Chukweke Stella Oluchi, Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.

The Federal Public Service Entrepreneurship Programme (FPSEP) championed by this Department is part of measures put in place by the OHCSF to improve welfare and benefit packages for Civil Servants Service-Wide. This programme is made up of two schemes namely; the Agriprenuership Start-up Scheme and the Pre-Retirement Training and Business Start-up Scheme, which was launched on 27th March, 2023 in Abuja.

The Agriprenuership Start-up Scheme has been visible in the lives of Eighty-Seven (87) Civil Servants drawn from four (4) pilot MDAs, who graduated on 18^th April, 2023, as pioneers of the Scheme that commenced on 27th March, 2023 immediately after the launch of the FPSEP. The pilot MDAs are; the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Federal Ministry of Petroleum. Certificates of participation were issued to the graduands.