The salaries of social workers will increase by more than 2.5 times by 2018, Minister of Labor and Social Protection Maxim Topilin promised journalists on Friday before the award ceremony for the winners of the All-Russian competition for the title “Best Employee of a Social Service Institution.”
He referred to the presidential decree, according to which the salaries of social workers will have to correspond by this date to one hundred percent of the average salary in the region. Now they receive 35-40 percent of the regional average. The average salary of a social worker last year was 8.4 thousand rubles.
The minister noted that organizing social services for the population and increasing the income of social workers falls within the powers of the regions. “The increase in salaries for them this year will depend on the subjects. If they make such decisions, then we will welcome them,” said Maxim Topilin.
In total, about 480 thousand people work in the field of social services in Russia, of which 200 thousand are social workers. Over the past two years, our country has held a competition “The best employee of a social institution.” The competition is in 20 nominations. 60 people became prize-winners of the All-Russian show, each of them will receive a financial reward: for first place - 500 thousand rubles, for second - 300 thousand and for third - 200 thousand.
Speaking about other issues within the competence of the Ministry of Labor, Maxim Topilin noted that in Russia there are still no prerequisites for the situation on the labor market to deteriorate due to financial problems in European countries. “We proceed from the fact that the situation is stable. There are some fluctuations in the market, but despite the fact that these fluctuations occur frequently, there are no prerequisites for deterioration,” he believes.
However, according to him, employment services in the regions are prepared for a hypothetical increase in unemployment. And that if another wave of crisis occurs, it will be easier to overcome it, since in 2009 a legislative framework was created for the introduction of additional measures in the labor market, and these measures were tested. “The package of measures that was adopted in 2009 is very effective; there is absolutely no need to come up with something else,” says the minister. According to his forecast, total unemployment in Russia by the end of the year will be 5 million people, registered - 1.3 million (now it is 1.2 million),
As for ministerial personnel, Maxim Topilin has not yet revealed who he invited to be his deputies. “Representations have been made, we are waiting for the government of the Russian Federation to sign it in the near future,” he said, and added that the distribution of responsibilities between deputy ministers will occur after the government approves the candidates.
The Accounts Chamber accused the Ministry of Labor of manipulating Putin's May decree
The new professional standard for social workers contributed to a sharp reduction in their number and transfer to other categories, the Accounts Chamber claims. Because of this, social workers are not subject to the May decrees on salary increases. The ministry did not agree with the auditors' findings
Social worker in the village of Korolenka, Omsk region (Photo: Dmitry Feoktistov / TASS)
The Ministry of Labor relieved the government of the obligation to rapidly increase the salaries of social workers according to the May decree of President Vladimir Putin. The implementation of the professional standard approved by the ministry has led to the fact that the number of social workers in the country has already decreased by more than 15% compared to the planned indicator from the “road map” to improve the quality of social services. Auditor of the Accounts Chamber Vladimir Katrenko told State Duma deputies about this on Wednesday, March 15.
On May 7, 2012, Putin signed a decree on improving social policy, instructing the government to increase the salaries of social workers, including those employed in medical organizations, to 100% of the average salary in their regions by 2018. But as a result of the application of the “Social Worker” professional standard approved at the beginning of 2014, some social workers were transferred to other positions that are not subject to the presidential decree on increasing salaries, Katrenko said.
According to him, workers removed from the scope of the presidential decree began to be called “household services workers,” “social work specialists,” “teacher assistants,” etc. These manipulations, in particular, led to the fact that at the end of nine months of 2016, the number of social workers in Russia decreased by 15% relative to the standard from the “road map” of the Ministry of Labor, the auditor reported.
The so-called regional “road map” for the Russian Federation, approved by the ministry in April 2014, indicates a target for the number of social workers in the country of 170.2 thousand people at the end of 2016. However, at the end of nine months of 2016, the figure was 144.6 thousand, or 15% below the standard, follows from Rosstat data, and at the end of 2016 it was even less - 143.5 thousand people. Over the past year, the number of social workers in the country decreased by 6%.
Social worker in the apartment of a Great Patriotic War veteran (Photo: Yuri Smityuk / TASS)
Labor Minister Maxim Topilin, who also spoke in the Duma on Wednesday, promised that the instructions given by the president to increase salaries for public sector employees would be carried out on time. The press service of the ministry responded to RBC that, in the opinion of the Ministry of Labor, the adoption of the professional standard “Social Worker” could not affect the change in the number of this category of workers, “since this professional standard contains characteristics of the main labor functions of a social worker, requirements for his education and training (secondary vocational education) and does not imply the performance of the labor functions of a social worker by other specialists.” The observed reduction in the number of social workers “is associated with the intensification of the work of social workers and the development of the non-state sector of providing social services in the form of social services at home,” explained a representative of the Ministry of Labor. As for regional road maps, the ministry is working together with the regions to adjust them.
Disappointing conclusions
The Accounts Chamber has studied the situation with Russians’ access to social services, and “the conclusion is disappointing,” Katrenko said. In 2016, this type of service did not become more accessible to the population; the problem is not so much a lack of funding, but rather “the lack of uniform and justified approaches” to organizing social services, the Accounts Chamber believes. As a result, the situation with access to social services can vary significantly even in neighboring regions, the auditor notes: for example, in the Central Federal District, the standard workload per social worker ranges from 13.5 people in the Kostroma region to 9.8 in the Bryansk region (in both cases, data given for urban areas).
The instructions set out in the May decrees were generally 70% fulfilled in May last year. But these decrees, designed to improve people’s lives, are often implemented only formally, experts from the Higher School of Economics noted. Officials manage to implement the plan on paper, for example, by changing the nature of target indicators. Thus, Rosstat at one time changed the definition of high-performance jobs, the number of which Putin ordered to increase to 25 million by 2020. If previously they were understood as places where added value exceeded the level determined by the average level of GDP per workplace for the six largest economies in the world, then since 2013 this criterion is determined through the average monthly salary.
The May decrees require an increase in the salaries of doctors, teachers and social workers not in absolute terms, but in relation to the level of average salaries in the regions (the salaries of social workers should be increased to 100% of the average regional salaries by 2018). This means that, in principle, salaries in the “May” categories may not grow - the main thing is that the indicator grows relative to overall salaries. In addition, in 2015, Rosstat, by order of the government, calculated the average salary in the region, which is used to monitor the implementation of May decrees. Instead of the average monthly accrued salary, organizations began to use “average monthly income from labor activity,” which includes earnings in the informal sector, employment from individual entrepreneurs and individuals.
Due to the revision of the methodology, the indicator of average salaries in the region, with which the salaries of doctors, teachers and social workers are compared, decreased, and the ratio for the May decrees, accordingly, increased. Thus, at the end of 2016, the average salary in Russia as part of the monitoring of the May decrees was 32.7 thousand rubles, and the average salary of workers “across the full range of organizations” was 36.7 thousand. The average salary of social workers in Russia in 2016 was 21 .6 thousand rubles, or 66% of the average labor income in the country, follows from Rosstat materials.
SaveDecrees concerning the growth of the average monthly income of public sector employees were adopted by the president back in 2012, however, among representatives of the budgetary sphere of government activity there are also people who today earn no more than 15,000 rubles. Special attention should be paid to whether there will be an increase in wages for social workers in 2018, because the level of material security of representatives of this profession is at an extremely low level, so for them the issue of real wage growth is extremely relevant. 
The work of representatives of social organizations often remains virtually unnoticed, but it is extremely important, because they are the ones who provide assistance to the country's low-income citizens, pensioners, orphans and other disadvantaged categories of the population. Help can be both financial and non-material, expressed in support of a particular person, rehabilitation and protection, but in Russia today most attention is paid only to the “material side of this issue.” Why are others left unattended? This question can only be answered by analyzing the current situation, because this is the only way to see that social work requires from a person such important moral qualities as honesty, compassion for people and the desire to help, but the people who perform it receive extremely low wages wages, so they very quickly lose the moral qualities necessary for work, because they are constantly thinking about where they can find a part-time job to feed their own family.
It is easy to see that in such a situation it is simply necessary to increase the salaries of social workers in Russia; the latest news on this issue is evidence that government officials also understand how difficult the situation is becoming, so they are taking some measures. True, it takes quite a lot of time to radically change the situation and solve all the problems in this area of government activity, so the Russian government needs time to solve all financial problems. What can you expect in 2018?
Execution of presidential decrees
The authorities adopted a corresponding bill on raising incomes for public sector employees back in May 2012 (that’s why the decrees are called May decrees), however, the federal budget did not have the necessary amount of money to increase material support for all representatives of budgetary organizations at once, so members of the government decided to increase wages gradually different categories of public sector employees. First, the incomes of medical workers were increased, and then a crisis began in the country, which led to the development of a serious budget deficit, and the implementation of presidential decrees was suspended.
There were not enough financial resources in the state budget to increase the salaries of social workers, and while the crisis continues, there is no hope that the situation will change. However, the authorities do not give up on their own promises, and today, when some of the economic problems are left behind, the problems of social security for citizens are coming to the fore. Today, employees of social organizations do not receive more than 10-15 thousand rubles (those representatives of this profession who provide assistance to pensioners and orphans have especially low incomes). And it must be said that the authorities will definitely increase the income of social workers, especially since the president is simply obliged to fulfill his election promise, because the next presidential elections are planned for 2018, which means the authorities are interested in the trust and votes of voters. 
What innovations should we expect in the near future?
When discussing the question of what will happen to the social worker’s salary, it is necessary to separately say that the authorities have launched a new program for the functioning of the public sector. Now people who previously held any positions in budgetary organizations, but did not have the appropriate education (due to lack of funds to enter a university, for example), can undergo the appropriate certification and receive a certificate that will confirm their level of qualifications and allow them to advance in their careers . Certification can be carried out at the expense of the person who undergoes it or at the expense of the employer’s finances (if he is interested in improving the qualifications of his employee).
We cannot ignore the information that although the social worker rate for 2018 in the Russian Federation will remain virtually unchanged, the authorities are introducing a change regarding the spread between the income of a representative of the organization’s management and ordinary employees. Today, the ratio between wages cannot be more than 1:8, but in some government organizations the dispersion coefficient already does not exceed 1:4. Moreover, wages for public sector employees must be paid twice a month, and if the managers of the enterprise do not follow this rule, then an appropriate fine will be imposed on them (the amount of fines has not yet been fully determined). 
Reduction in the number of social workers
Many are interested in the question of whether there will be a reduction in social workers in 2018, because the public sector is currently undergoing a large-scale optimization reform, as a result of which tens of thousands of representatives of the public sector have lost their jobs. However, social workers in this case have nothing to fear, because last year their number was already reduced, but the volume of work remained the same and was redistributed among the remaining workers. An additional reduction in representatives of the social sphere of activity may cause a deterioration in the functioning of social organizations, and the authorities simply cannot allow this.
In conclusion, it must be said that the authorities are doing everything to normalize the budgetary sphere of activity in the country, but until the crisis is over, there is simply no need to count on a radical change in the situation in the state. True, news in this area must be carefully monitored, because the situation in the country changes almost daily. 
Probably every citizen at least once had to seek help or interact with social workers on other issues. Of course, representatives of this profession are engaged in socially useful work. But is their work adequately paid? Let's find out how much money a social worker receives in 2015.
Tasks of a social worker
A social worker is in the public service. His responsibilities primarily include helping the needy, low-income or those affected by some circumstances of the population. Moreover, this help can be both material, moral and psychological. In the latter cases, the qualifications and experience of the social worker himself are especially important.
Social worker salary
Now let's find out how much a social worker earns in Russia. His average salary in 2014 across the country was only 18,291 rubles per month, which is slightly more than half the average salary in the Russian Federation for all sectors of the economy as a whole.
It should be noted that this was achieved only thanks to a special program in force since 2012 to improve the well-being of civil servants. Thus, in 2013, the average salary in this area was only 14,000 rubles, and in 2012 it was almost half the level of 2014.
The monthly earnings of this category of civil servants in specific regions of the state were distributed as follows:
- Moscow – 43,650 rubles;
- Magadan region – 37,800 rubles;
- Sakhalin region - 33,562 rubles;
- Republic of Sakha - 31,454 rubles;
- Tyumen region - 31,384 rubles;
- Kamchatka Territory - 30,380 rubles;
- Murmansk region - 26,444 rubles;
- Moscow region - 25,998 rubles;
- St. Petersburg – 24,857 rub.
Thus, workers in Moscow, the regions of the Far North, Western Siberia and the Far East, the Moscow region and St. Petersburg have the highest salaries.
The lowest salaries are for employees working in the Republic of North Ossetia (RUB 11,583), in the Republic of Dagestan (RUB 11,520) and in the Republic of Kalmykia (RUB 11,284). In these regions, the wages of workers in this field are so low that it is time for them to think about social assistance for themselves.
But what is the salary in 2015? Perhaps there have been fundamental changes?
Salary increase in 2015
In 2015, they also plan to continue increasing the salaries of social workers within the framework of the 2012 program. No fundamental changes in legislation are expected in this direction. The increase in salary rates will occur on approximately the same scale as in the previous period, that is, the average salary in this area will rise to approximately 22–23 thousand rubles per month.
This will be done through optimization of staffing levels, that is, through layoffs.
For cities, most likely, the statistics will not change significantly. That is, the list of the highest paid regions will be headed by Moscow, Siberia, the Far North and the Far East.
However, the growing crisis in 2015 may make certain adjustments to these plans. Although Prime Minister D. Medvedev expressed confidence that the crisis will not interfere with current tasks on this issue. It’s too early to talk about specific results; we need to wait for the end of the year, which is just around the corner.
Future prospects
Of course, 2015 will not be the last year in which it is planned to increase salaries for social workers, since the work of employees in this area remains one of the lowest paid in Russia. Thus, by 2018 it is planned to increase the salaries of this group of employees to the Russian average level.
The state’s social policy was determined back in 2012, when salary plans for civil servants for 2013-2018 were approved. However, despite annual salary increases, the salary of social workers in 2017, the latest news, barely exceeds 10 thousand rubles. Indexation and additional accruals are carried out regularly, but it is important to consider how much the salaries of social workers will be increased in 2017. The government has determined a minimum coefficient of 5.5% and no one will cancel indexation.
At the same time, there are not yet enough funds in the budget to bring wages to the level of the regional average. According to official data, the salary of social workers caring for pensioners, even after an increase in 2017, will be 89% of the Russian average. At the same time, it is likely that the statistics are distorted by the salaries of social workers in the capital regions, where salaries usually exceed 15 thousand rubles. In fact, a situation has arisen where increases are nominally taking place, but due to the crisis it is impossible to significantly improve the financial situation of social workers.
The salaries of employees of orphanages, shelters, and social workers caring for pensioners will still increase. However, information about a 2-fold increase in salaries still seems unlikely and such statements are not reflected either in the state of the labor market or in official orders. The Prime Minister and ministers have repeatedly noted the importance of decent remuneration for social workers for their work, and therefore no salary cuts are expected. Most likely, indexation will be carried out to the official inflation rate, which in general will not affect the lives of social sector employees.
Salaries of social workers in 2017
As of the beginning of 2017, the average salary of social workers in Russia is in the range of 9.5-10 thousand rubles. After indexation, the increase in wages for social workers in 2017 by the planned 5.5%, the average for the Russian Federation will exceed or be equal to 10 thousand rubles. It should be noted that the data in different regions differ significantly, so it makes sense to consider them separately.
The highest wages at the beginning of 2017 were recorded in 6 regions. The average salary exceeds 19 thousand rubles in the Kamchatka Territory, Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug, the republics of Sakha and Khakassia, the Kaliningrad and Lipetsk regions, and the Moscow region. At the same time, the salary of a social worker in Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug in 2017, as in Kamchatka and Sakhalin, and in Kaliningrad, exceeds 22 thousand rubles. In Khakassia, Lipetsk and Moscow, the average salary of a social worker is 19 thousand. In the Leningrad region, the average wage was 17.5 thousand.
Without taking into account the listed 7 regions, the wages of social workers in Russia do not exceed 16 thousand rubles. For example, the salary of social workers in the Rostov region at the beginning of 2017 is 7.5 thousand rubles. Social workers receive the same amount; their salary in 2017 in Bashkortostan is also 7.5 thousand. In some regions, the salary is set even lower, for example, the salary of social workers 2017 Orenburg was increased to 8.5 thousand only in December last year, and before that it was 5.5 thousand rubles per month.
Increase in salaries for social workers
If you are interested in whether there will be a salary increase for social workers in 2017, then indexation by 5.5% will definitely take place. However, there are no plans to provide additional bonuses, and the salary increase will not affect the social worker’s salary. It is important to take into account that the state budget for 2017 in Russia cut payments to civil servants by 10%, so funding sources do not allow additional payments to social workers. The question arises as to how the salaries of social workers will be increased.
The 2017 indexation will be carried out by optimizing staff and continuing the policy of reductions in orphanages, shelters and nursing homes. This means that the workload is being redistributed and may increase, employment contracts are being revised, and specialists with support functions are being laid off.
According to the official program, at least 15% of social workers must be laid off by the end of 2018. Moreover, according to the law, the salary will directly depend on the employee’s efficiency, that is, the workload on him. Theoretically, this would make it possible to raise the level of payments, however, given the insufficient funding, it is likely that the salaries of social workers will remain virtually unchanged, and the workload will increase.
