#public administration

Public-sector pay rises postponed to 1 January 2027: a one-off payment of 2,000–4,000 lei instead

The government has put out for public consultation the draft of a new public-sector pay law — increases of 10 to 30% for around 170,000 employees, from 1 September 2026. 'Up to 30%' is the ceiling, not the rule: the biggest rises go to the categories left furthest behind. For a district like Ungheni, where the average wage is almost 3,700 lei below the national average and thousands work in schools, hospitals and town halls, the reform hits the family budget directly. But it is still only a draft — and a parallel reform trims leave days.