24 March 2016

2016- n° 79

Between 2013 and 2014, the average net wage rose by 0.8% in real terms in the local civil service, by 0.4% in the hospital civil service and decreased by 0.2% in the state civil service. The average remuneration of workers in place rose in the three civil services. Wages in the public - 2014

At the end of 2014, the civil service employed 5.64 million persons, tenured civil servants, contract employees, other categories and beneficiaries of subsidised contracts. The annual variation of average wage reflects individual wage progressions, but also relates to job structure changes in the civil service, particularly in terms of status (for example, evolution of subsidised contracts employment volume) or in terms of age (related to retirements, recruitments).

In the State civil service (SCS), all status combined (excluding the military) which includes ministries and public institutions, the nominal average net wage in full-time equivalent (FTE) rose by 0.3% in nominal terms between 2013 and 2014 and reached in average 2,480 euros net per month. Taking into account inflation, it decreased by 0.2% in real terms.

In the local civil service (LCS, excluding the military, nursery and family assistants), the variation between 2013 and 2014 is on the rise: +1.4% in nominal terms, i.e. +0.8% in real terms. The average net wage in FTE reached 1,880 euros per month in 2014.

In the hospital civil service (HCS), i.e. the hospital public institutions and the social and medico-social sector (excluding hospital interns and externs), the average net wage rose by 0.9% in nominal terms between 2013 and 2014. It went up by 0.4% in real terms. The average net wage in FTE reached 2,210 euros per month in 2014.

In 2014, the differences in variation between net wages and gross wages (about −0.3 percentage points) relate in particular to the rise in contributions for civil pension of tenured civil servants (to put them in line with those in the private sector). Gaps in wage levels between the three civil services result mainly from different structures in terms of category, status and types of jobs held. Thereby nearly 60% state civil servants belong to category A, for only 30% of HCS agents, and 10% of agents in the LCS. In contrast, 75% of local civil servants and half of hospital civil servants belong to category C for 20% in the SCS.

The average remuneration of workers in place (ARWP) measures the average variation in wages of the civil servants present for two complete consecutive years. Therefore it reflects the individually earned wages, including a – positive – career effect related to seniority. It has a narrower scope which excludes current year entries and exits. Here are only considered the agents present for two complete and consecutive years with the same employer and the same work quotity. Two thirds of the civils servants are in this situation, taking into account the labor flows (entries into the civil service, departures, changes of employer) and changes in working quotity.

In the State civil service, the nominal net ARWP increased by 2.2%. In real terms, it rose by 1.6%.

In the local civil service, the nominal net ARWP rose by 2.7%. In real terms, it increased by 2.1%.

In the hospital civil service, the nominal net ARWP went up by 1.8%, which constitutes a rise by 1.3% in real terms.