The Government of Antigua and Barbuda is pushing to finalise outstanding retroactive salary payments owed to public servants by the end of March 2026, bringing a years-long financial obligation closer to resolution.
Cabinet has received and approved a comprehensive update from the Treasury Department outlining significant progress in settling back pay for the period 2018 to 2023 — an issue that has affected thousands of public servants across the country.
As of January 2026, the Government has disbursed a total of EC$28,716,480.85 to eligible workers and pensioners. Payments have reached a broad cross-section of the public service: established employees received EC$12,537,858; non-established employees, EC$9,800,255; weekly-paid workers, EC$3,791,284; pensioners, EC$2,543,917; and separated employees, EC$43,166.
A structured payment framework governs the disbursements. Established and non-established workers are eligible to receive up to two months' gross salary or the outstanding balance owed — whichever is lower. Weekly-paid workers may receive up to one month's gross salary or their remaining balance. Retired and resigned employees are being paid under similar capped arrangements.
Eligibility covers individuals employed by the Government on or before December 31, 2023, along with specific categories of separated employees and contract officers where provisions apply. Excluded groups include parliamentarians, ministers, judges, participants in the Work Experience Programme, and contract officers without defined eligibility.
Despite the progress, the Treasury has acknowledged challenges slowing the pace of payments. These include missing banking information for some pensioners and separated employees, high volumes of queries stemming from incomplete or inaccurate departmental submissions, and the need to reconcile recent disbursements.
Authorities have moved to address these obstacles. A dedicated Help Desk has been established to manage queries, stricter data submission guidelines have been enforced across government departments, and periodic reviews of banking information are now mandatory. Communication efforts have also been intensified to keep public servants informed about their eligibility and payment status.
Public servants are being urged to update their records and use the Help Desk to avoid unnecessary delays.
Cabinet has reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring all eligible workers receive their payments fairly and on time, with the end of March 2026 set as the target date to bring the long-awaited process to a close.
