Several Air Malta workers who opted to take the voluntary early retirement schemes and left the airline in November are still unexplainably registered with Jobsplus as employees.
Consequently, many of them are considered ineligible for social benefits and struggling to find other jobs.
I need to apply for social assistance but I am considered ineligible for it because I have not been formally terminated from my employment with the airline- Former Air Malta employee
Former employees who spoke to Times of Malta said they cannot understand the delay and have been repeatedly told there was an irregularity in the way they were registered when they first joined the airline and that their formal termination from Jobsplus is pending a green light from the office of the prime minister.
“We have been told Jobsplus is waiting for instructions from the office of the prime minister before they can process our terminations,” one former employee said.
“Meanwhile, I need to apply for social assistance but I am considered ineligible for it because I have not been formally terminated from my employment with the airline.”
The issue was first flagged by former Nationalist MP Jason Azzopardi on social media earlier this month.
'The issue is being resolved'
Questions were sent to the office of the prime minister and the finance ministry, and a spokesperson for the latter said: “This issue is being addressed and resolved.”
They did not provide an explanation for the delay and did not say what kind of instructions are being expected from the office of the prime minister.
Last year, Air Malta started shedding a record number of workers in a last-ditch attempt to cut costs and remain solvent.
The changes form part of a restructuring plan announced by the government just over a year ago. The plan will see the airline’s workforce cut in half in a bid to save around €15 million in annual wages.
An initial government pledge to offer workers different jobs within the public sector at the same pay had to be amended a few months later to include the offer of lucrative severance packages.
Retirement packages work between €40,000 and €300,000
Workers who opted for an early or voluntary retirement scheme were offered anything between €40,000 and €300,000.
The government offered €40,000 to those who have served up to five years; €80,000 to those serving 5-10 years; €120,000 for 10-15 years of service; €150,000 for 15-20 years of service; €180,000 for 20-25 years; €210,000 for 25-30; and €240,000 for those of over 30 years of service.
Air Malta staff aged 50 and over were eligible for an early retirement scheme if they had served 20 years and over, to be paid two-thirds of their total take-home pay, capped at a maximum €300,000.