Civil servants to face merit-based pay limits under new standardized state salary grid

Uzbekistan is poised to reform its civil service compensation and working conditions, following a presentation delivered to President Shavkat Mirziyoyev today, which will introduce merit-based pay limits under a new standardized state salary grid.

The upcoming reforms will affect approximately 54,000 managerial and administrative staff across various state entities. This workforce has already been reduced from 73,000 in 2016 through optimization measures.

The restructuring aims to address significant disparities in the current public sector pay scale. Briefing materials revealed that only 15% of a typical civil servant’s total take-home pay currently comes from their base salary. In contrast, up to 70% of the entire public wage fund is consumed by various premiums, performance bonuses, and auxiliary incentives that are largely disconnected from an employee’s actual output or performance.

"Consequently, a substantial wage gap has emerged between public servants who hold identical ranks and execute identical duties," the presidential press service stated. "Furthermore, when comparing the salaries of field-office personnel at specific ministries to their counterparts holding identical positions within regional, district, and municipal administrations, the principle of equal pay for equal work is completely absent."

Compounding the problem is the absence of a standardized statutory framework governing civil service compensation. Currently, the vast majority of state agencies operate under a fragmented regulatory web of more than 50 separate, localized legislative acts that dictate baseline pay terms.

To address these inefficiencies, the government proposes implementing a single, highly transparent, and performance-based compensation model. Under the new structure, state institutions will be explicitly segmented into national, republic, regional, district, and municipal tiers. Employees will be carefully categorized into groups—namely administrative management, core operational staff, and support personnel—contingent upon their precise institutional roles.

Drawing on global best practices, the government has proposed a new structured salary grid comprising 11 pay grades and six incremental steps. This streamlined framework will replace over 10 existing variations of allowances and bonuses with just three core types of performance incentives.

Specifically, the new model introduces targeted allowances directly linked to a public servant's qualification level and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). These individual metrics will evaluate how effectively employees carry out their core operational functions, maintain workplace and execution discipline, and demonstrate professional initiative.

Additionally, at the conclusion of each reporting period, bonus pools will be distributed to employees who successfully tackle complex or high-priority objectives, pioneer innovative workplace strategies, or achieve exceptional measurable outcomes.

Under the new guidelines, the salaries of field-office personnel at regional directorates will be capped to ensure they do not exceed the compensation of their counterparts holding identical positions within corresponding local municipal administrations (hokimyats). Furthermore, when determining regional and municipal staffing numbers and baseline salary tiers, authorities will explicitly account for local population densities and distinct geographic characteristics.

"Every civil servant will understand well in advance how their salary is calculated, as well as the exact performance criteria required to earn specific allowances or bonus payouts," the presidential press service emphasized. "This predictability is expected to drive workplace efficiency, foster individual initiative, and reinforce institutional accountability."

The distribution of these performance bonuses will rely on concrete, objective criteria. Key benchmarks will include the mastery of advanced information technologies—specifically artificial intelligence—as well as the continuous acquisition of modern professional skills, accumulated field expertise, and advanced career training.