8th Pay Commission: Postal employees seek 2025-26 bonus before Durga Puja; what they want changed

Central government employees in the Department of Posts have sought early payment of their Productivity Linked Bonus (PLB) for 2025-26, with postal unions asking the government to release the bonus before Durga Puja. At the same time, employee organisations are seeking a broader change in the way bonus is calculated under the 8th Pay Commission.

The Joint Council of Postal Employees (JCPE), an umbrella body of seven postal unions, wrote to the Secretary, Department of Posts, on 26 September, requesting that the PLB for 2025-26 be paid to eligible employees by 17 October. The council noted that Durga Puja begins on 17 October this year and Dussehra will be celebrated on 21 October.

The JCPE said employees are expecting the bonus before the festive period because of additional expenses during the season and requested the department to make arrangements for payment by 17 October.

This is a request and not an announcement of the 2025-26 bonus. The Department of Posts has not yet issued the PLB order for the year.

Why the bonus calculation is under scrutiny

The immediate demand for early payment comes alongside a separate push to change the wage ceiling used to calculate bonus.

The Ministry of Labour and Employment issued a notification on 25 August under the Code on Wages, 2019, stating that where an eligible employee’s wage exceeds ₹7,000 a month, the bonus is to be calculated on ₹7,000 or the minimum wage fixed by the Central Government, whichever is higher. The notification was deemed effective from 21 November 2025.

The National Council-Joint Consultative Machinery (NC-JCM) Staff Side subsequently wrote to the Cabinet Secretary seeking an increase in the bonus calculation ceiling from ₹7,000 to ₹21,000. The staff side cited the central government’s minimum wage of ₹21,000 and sought the higher calculation base ahead of the festive-season bonus orders.

The ₹21,000 figure, however, is a demand and not the approved bonus calculation ceiling for central government employees.

The issue also extends to the 8th Pay Commission. Employee organisations have argued that retaining a ₹7,000 calculation base does not reflect current pay levels. The Federation of National Postal Organisations has sought changes to the bonus framework, while other employee bodies have proposed linking the calculation to actual pay or applicable minimum wages.

The debate could therefore affect both the immediate 2025-26 PLB and the longer-term bonus structure considered as part of the 8th Pay Commission’s recommendations.

For now, two separate developments are pending. The Department of Posts has to decide on the 2025-26 PLB and its payment timeline, while the government has yet to accept the employee demand for a higher bonus calculation ceiling.