Background information

The Emergency Ordinance 58/2023 introduced bonuses for both teaching and auxiliary teaching staff, as well as non-teaching staff in public education. The funds can be used to cover specific individual teaching needs. A training bonus was introduced by the Emergency Ordinance 58/2023, for both teaching, auxiliary teaching staff, as well as non-teaching staff employed in the public education system. The funds can be used to cover specific individual teaching needs.

The bonus was granted as a result of negotiations between trade unions and the Government following the teachers' strike in May-June 2023. At least 326,000 employees in the public education sector are expected to receive the bonus. The teaching career bonus can be used for the following categories of expenditure: professional training courses and other categories of related expenditure; IT equipment and other similar information technology teaching equipment; specialty books and other similar categories of expenditure; up to 30% of the nominal amount of the career development grant for specific teaching needs of teachers.

Content of measure

Teaching (in pre-university and higher education) and non-teaching staff will receive a teaching career bonus starting with October 2023, after they proved that they have been active during the school year. The amount received is RON 1,500 (approx. €300) for each by teaching staff member, and RON 500 (approx. €100) by non-teaching staff. According to the previsions of the legislative act, teachers and auxiliary teachers in state pre-university and university education who have been working in the 2022-2023 school year will receive the teaching career bonus.

The teaching career bonus will be granted in a single installment, i.e. in October 2023, and may be used in the school year 2023-2024. The teaching career bonus is also granted for the all school/university years between 2023/2024 to 2026/2027, to support the teaching career of teaching staff in the state pre-university and university education system. Non-teaching staff will be entitled to a professional career bonus for professional training courses and other necessary expenditure incurred in support of educational activity, to support teaching activity in both the university and pre-university education systems.

The necessary funds for the teaching and professional career bonus is provided from non-reimbursable external funds through the Education and Employment Program, programming period 2021-2027, within the limit of existing funds available for this purpose.

Use of measure

At the time of the launch of the measure, more than 326,000 employees from the education sector were expected to receive the career bonus.

By 30 October 2024, 336,000 employees received the career bonus for the 2024-2025 school year.

Target groups

Workers	Businesses	Citizens
Particular professions	Sector specific set of companies	Does not apply to citizens

Actors and funding

Actors	Funding
National government Trade unions	European Funds National funds

Social partners

Social partners' role in designing the measure and form of involvement:

	Trade unions	Employers' organisations
Role	Agreed (outcome) incl. social partner initiative	Unknown
Form	Direct consultation outside a formal body	Not applicable

Social partners' role in the implementation, monitoring and assessment phase:

• Unknown
• Main level of involvement: Sectoral or branch level

Involvement

The measure is a result of the general strike in the education system that took place in the spring and summer of 2023. This was one of the requests issued by the education sector trade unions during the protests which started in May 2023. The main request of the trade unions was to increase of the salaries which shall be granted by the end of 2023. The unions also asked for a normative act that would ensure that a beginner teacher's salary will be at least equal to the average gross national salary.

Views and reactions

The representatives of the trade unions from the education sector accepted the measures proposed by the Government, which includes beside the €300 as career bonus, a 25% pay rise from 1 June 2023, with the first installment of the pay rise on the new scale being 50% from 1 January 2024.

Sectors and occupations

Sources

• 12 June 2023: Emergency Ordinance no. 58 from12 June 2023 (Ordonanță de Urgență nr. 58 din 12 iunie 2023) (legislatie.just.ro)
• 30 October 2024: Over 336,000 employees from the educational sector received career bonuses 2024 (Peste 336 de mii de profesori, personal didactic auxiliar și cel administrativ primesc prima de carieră didactică și de carieră profesională 2024) (www.edupedu.ro)