Debate on the Employment Amendment Bill, 2020 resumed yesterday following an adjournment on debate last week following which several consultative meetings have been held with various concerned stakeholders including employers in different sectors and workers’ union representative to reach a consensus that would address the concerns of both employees and employers.
Allowing negotiation procedures to take place between employers and employees on payment of wages and the reduction of wages, including procedures also to make a Seychellois worker redundant before June 30, 2020, but effective as from July 1, 2020, was part of a general consensus reached yesterday between government, the National Assembly, the private sector and trade unions.
President Danny Faure on Saturday chaired the first meeting with key stakeholders concerned with employment-related matters as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The meet, held at State House, was attended by Attorney General Frank Ally, Minister for Employment, Immigration and Civil Status Myriam Telemaque, secretary-general of the Seychelles Federation Workers Union (SFWU) Antoine Robinson and representatives of the private sector.
After the National Assembly voted on Tuesday this week to adjourn debate until further negotiation on an amendment to the Employment Act 1995, proposed by the executive to protect employees following the impact of COVID-19, the department of employment has held three meetings with the private sector, trade unions and stakeholders.
A majority in the National Assembly yesterday voted to adjourn debate on amendments to the Employment Act proposed by the executive to protect employees from the impact of COVID-19.
Nineteen members of the National Assembly gave their support to the motion tabled by opposition chief whip, Jean-François Ferrari, to defer the debate to next week’s parliamentary session.
The department of employment in the Ministry of Employment, Immigration and Civil Status is calling on employees to register their claims with the department in the event of non-payment of their salaries by their employers, in the wake of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
As part of the new normal in relation to the post COVID-19 pandemic regarding health restrictions in place, especially social distancing, the Ministry of Employment, Immigration and Civil Status has taken necessary steps to control the inflow of people coming for services among others.
In a bid to prohibit the deferment of payment and the reduction of wages of a worker without the approval of a competent officer, the department of employment has proposed a new bill which will be presented before the National Assembly for approval next week.
