Summary.
The bill adds Article 14-A to Law 49 of 2007, which regulates the community development profession. The proposed provision requires every municipality in Panama to have at least one qualified community development practitioner, plus one for every five corregimientos in its district. These professionals would be assigned the responsibilities and powers applicable to them under that law. The staffing requirement applies to municipalities and is based on the number of corregimientos in each district.
For community development practitioners working in any public entity, the bill establishes a salary scale for community development practitioners. The Technical Council for Community Development (Consejo Técnico de Desarrollo Comunitario) would propose the scale, and the Executive Branch (Órgano Ejecutivo) would approve it through the Ministry of Economy and Finance (Ministerio de Economía y Finanzas). The scale would include a base salary and increases by stage. It would take account of levels and their respective categories, years of verified professional experience, specialization, and the type of supervision performed. These factors would determine each professional’s placement within the proposed pay structure.
Each public institution would develop and apply professional evaluation rules and tools suited to the nature of its community development practitioners’ duties. Evaluations would also follow public service career laws and the work performance evaluation system. The bill further provides that the salaries of community development practitioners who, before the proposed law takes effect, earn more than the salary scale provides must not be reduced. This provision covers those already earning more than the amount assigned to them under the new scale.
The Technical Council for Community Development would have no more than 60 working days from promulgation to propose the salary scale. Article 4 reiterates that the legislative amendment adds Article 14-A to Law 49 of 2007. Article 5 provides that the proposed law would take effect on the day after its promulgation.
The bill links municipalities and public institutions that employ these professionals with the Technical Council for Community Development, the Executive Branch, and the Ministry of Economy and Finance. Its provisions on staffing, pay, and professional evaluation could be of interest to community development practitioners, municipal administrations in Panama, and public entities that employ these professionals.
What it proposes.
- Staffing of qualified community development practitioners in municipalities.
- Salary scale and pay for community development practitioners in public entities.
- Professional evaluation and protection of salaries above the scale.
Who it would affect.
- Municipalities in Panama.
- Community development practitioners working in public entities.
- Public institutions that employ community development practitioners.
Key points.
- Every municipality must have at least one qualified community development practitioner, plus one for every five corregimientos in its district.Art. 1
- Community development practitioners employed by municipalities will be assigned the responsibilities and powers provided by law.Art. 1
- Community development practitioners in any public entity will be governed by a salary scale proposed by the Technical Council for Community Development and approved by the Executive Branch through the Ministry of Economy and Finance.Art. 2
- The scale will include a base salary and increases by stage, determined according to levels, categories, verified experience, specialization, and type of supervision.Art. 2
- Each public institution will develop and apply professional evaluation tools consistent with its functions, public service career laws, and the work performance evaluation system.Art. 2
- Existing salaries above the salary scale will not be reduced.Art. 2
- The Technical Council for Community Development will propose the salary scale within 60 working days of promulgation.Art. 3
- The bill reiterates the addition of Article 14-A to Law 49 of 2007 and provides that it will take effect on the day after its promulgation.Arts. 4-5