Payments amounting to a total of €10.2 million will be made to people who suffered injustices in their employment in the past, or were subject to anomalies, the government said.
The 5,306 people will receive payments according to the terms of three schemes operated by two ministries, together with the Ministry for Finance and Work.
During a press conference, Minister for Social Policy and Children's Rights Michael Falzon announced the details on the payments of the three schemes.
Scheme for those who entered the public service
This scheme is open to those people who were in Labour Corps or were partners in apprenticeship or training programs before 1979, who afterwards went to work in government departments.
This is the sixth year this scheme has been operating and 3,028 people or their heirs are benefiting from it this year.
The payment they receive is linked to the time they worked in the public service since their official appointment after January 1979, up until the date of their retirement.
These payments will reach a total amount of around €6.6 million, and payments to beneficiaries will have amounted to €35.7 million these past six years.
Scheme for people who entered the public sector
This scheme was launched in 2019 which catered specifically for those who were also in the Corps before 1979 and were later employed in the public sector. It also applies to former Gas Board workers who were transferred to the Enemalta Corporation when it was founded.
The grants are linked to the years of employment in the public sector from January 1979 to the date of retirement from work.
The 1,616 beneficiaries under this scheme will receive a total of €887,000 in payments, which will have amounted to more than €3.5 million for beneficiaries of the scheme.
Scheme for former longshoremen
The third scheme, run by the Transport Ministry, applies to former longshoremen who were licensed between 4 April 1973 and 1 June 2007. 662 people or their heirs will receive payments amounting to a total of €2.7 million.
These payments will bring to an end this scheme, which was drawn up by government in 2017 after an agreement was reached with the General Workers' Union.
In total, more than €18.5 million was paid in six years.
"With this year's payments, the expenditure on schemes which address past anomalies since 2017 has risen to €76.5 million. This cost includes the payments made to the police between 2017 and 2020 to make up for unpaid overtime in the past and the arrears paid to former employees of the Malta Electricity Board when they were laid off - the ex gratia right to a Treasury pension," Falzon said.
The implementation of the other two schemes will continue throughout the next year, which was also a PL electoral promise. Another €2 million is being allocated so that what was promised will begin to be fulfilled gradually next year.