Romania to Cut Over Half of Public Sector Bonuses with New Salary Law

Romanian Labour Minister Dragoș Pîslaru announced a draft law that would overhaul public‑sector pay. The proposal would eliminate 87 of the current 151 allowances, reducing the number of bonuses by about 57 %. Under the draft, any allowance may not exceed 20 % of an institution’s salary budget, and performance bonuses would be set at 10‑20 % of the base salary. An extraordinary performance bonus could be granted to at most 30 % of employees.

The law is designed to address perceived wage inequities among civil servants. It is slated to take effect on 1 January 2027 and would be locked for five years, preventing amendment during that period. The existing 2017 law has been amended 43 times since its adoption. The draft will be submitted to Parliament for consideration.