The special duty allowance (ISS) is part of the compensation system of the French public service. It compensates for professional constraints related to the exercise of certain jobs: atypical hours, arduousness, exposure to risks, or particular responsibilities. Its amount, beneficiaries, and conditions vary depending on the sector of the public service concerned, which often leads to confusion between similar but legally distinct systems.
ISS, special duty bonus, IRSSTS: systems not to be confused
The acronym ISS covers several realities depending on the body of affiliation and the employer. In the state public service, the ISS particularly concerns agents of the Ministry of the Interior (police officers, gendarmes, administrative and technical staff of the national police). Decree No. 2024-378 of April 25, 2024, has clarified the conditions for granting a specific duty allowance for certain administrative, technical, and specialized civil servants working within the national police and gendarmerie.
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In the hospital public service, the special duty bonus (PSS) constitutes a distinct system, governed by its own texts. Decree No. 2021-1411 of October 29, 2021, established a specific allowance for certain hospital staff following the Ségur de la santé agreements. This bonus is not to be confused with the ISS paid to state agents, even though both compensate for professional constraints.
For a detailed explanation of the special duty allowance according to each sector of the public service, distinguishing between these regimes remains the first reflex to adopt before any action.
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The IRSSTS (representative allowance for special duties and additional work) is also found, intended for example for drivers of certain local authorities. Each duty allowance is governed by its own decree, with specific conditions for allocation, rates, and beneficiaries.
Calculation method for the special duty allowance
The calculation of the ISS is based on a percentage applied to the gross indexed salary of the agent. This rate varies according to the body, grade, and sometimes the geographical area of exercise. The gross indexed salary serves as the basis: it corresponds to the increased index of the agent multiplied by the value of the index point.
Basic formula and variables
The general formula can be summarized as follows:
- ISS amount = monthly gross indexed salary x applicable rate for the agent’s body or grade
- The rate is set by decree and may differ from one body to another (police personnel, hospital agents, prison staff, etc.)
- The proportion of working time is taken into account: a part-time agent receives an ISS proportional to their working time
- Some regimes provide for a flat amount rather than a percentage, depending on the applicable regulatory text
The applicable rate depends on the decree governing the agent’s body, not on a unique scale. Consulting the regulatory text specific to one’s body remains the only reliable method to know the exact rate.
Case of hospital agents
For nursing assistants and certain paramedical staff in the hospital public service, the special duty bonus often takes the form of a monthly flat amount. This amount has been increased as part of the post-Ségur measures. The hospital PSS can be combined with other bonuses such as the service bonus, the unhealthy work bonus, or the critical care bonus, subject to the cumulative rules set by the texts.
Conditions for allocation and common exclusions
The granting of the ISS is not automatic for all public agents. It requires meeting conditions related to the body of affiliation, the nature of the functions performed, and sometimes the geographical assignment.
Eligibility criteria
Permanent agents and, in some cases, contractual agents performing functions that entitle them to the allowance may benefit from it. The precise conditions depend on the applicable decree. Three elements are consistently present:
- Belonging to a body or employment framework covered by the text (police agents, hospital staff, prison staff, etc.)
- Effective performance of functions: an agent on leave or long-term sick leave generally does not receive the ISS
- Assignment to a service or structure that entitles them to payment, which sometimes excludes agents assigned to administrative functions far from the field
The ISS is paid monthly and subject to contributions. It is included in the retirement calculation base for certain bodies, but not for all. Field reports vary on this point according to retirement funds and employers.
Exclusion cases to watch for
Agents on secondment to a body that does not benefit from the ISS lose the payment of this allowance. Similarly, a change of assignment to a non-eligible service leads to the cancellation of the bonus, sometimes without notice. The suspension of the ISS occurs as soon as the exercise conditions are no longer met, which can create significant pay reductions during internal mobility.
Reform of the compensation system and future of the ISS
The compensation landscape of the public service is evolving towards a gradual harmonization, notably with the deployment of the RIFSEEP (compensation system taking into account functions, duties, expertise, and professional commitment). This system aims to replace most historical bonuses, including certain forms of ISS, for the bodies attached to it.
Not all bodies have yet transitioned to the RIFSEEP. Police personnel, gendarmerie military, and certain hospital bodies retain their own compensation regimes. The available data do not allow for a precise conclusion on a timeline for the transition for all affected agents.
The observable trend is a desire for simplification: to group the multiple bonuses and allowances into two components (IFSE and CIA within the framework of the RIFSEEP). For agents currently benefiting from the ISS, the question concerns the maintenance of the overall level of remuneration during the transition. The transition to the RIFSEEP does not guarantee an amount identical to the previous regime, which justifies checking the simulations proposed by the employer before any change in the compensation framework.
The ISS remains a structuring element of remuneration for several tens of thousands of public agents. The multiplicity of applicable texts, the confusion between homonymous systems, and the ongoing regulatory developments make its understanding more technical than it appears. Checking the applicable decree for one’s own employment body remains the safest approach to know one’s exact rights.