| Written by Minivan News, on 24-04-2008 06:32 |
The People’s Majlis (parliament) on Wednesday passed the Employment Bill, setting out a comprehensive package of rights for employees in the Maldives for the first time.
Once the bill comes into force, working hours will be limited to 48 per week and workers legally entitled to a minimum wage, as well as annual leave, maternity leave and 15-minute prayer breaks.
Eleven amendments were made to the bill before it passed, but legal reform minister Mohamed Nasheed acknowledged it would need further changes.
And independent MP Ibrahim Ismail (Ibra), who heads the fledgling Social Liberal Party, said the bill “protects the rights of the employee but not the employer”, and called for further changes “as soon as possible” to ensure both parties’ rights would be safeguarded.
New Rights
Once the President has ratified the bill and it becomes law, every worker in Maldives – whatever their citizenship – must receive a minimum wage, at a rate to be set by the minister of employment.
The position of employment minister is temporarily held by Abdul Rasheed Hussein following the resignation of the President’s half-brother Abdullah Yameen in April 2007.
The new bill will also limit the working week to 48 hours, with some exceptions such as boat captains.
All employees will be entitled to annual paid leave, and mothers to 30 days’ leave prior to the birth of their baby and 60 days afterwards. Fathers will receive three days off work at the time of their child’s birth, and all parents five days’ leave for a son’s circumcision.
Workers will receive ten days’ leave if a member of their immediate family suffers a health emergency. And a 15-minute break will be made available at each of the five daily Islamic prayer times.
Hiring And Firing
The bill creates new conditions for appointing and dismissing workers, including a new labour relations authority and employment tribunal.
Workers can no longer be fired without a written warning, and employers will be responsible for proving they have good reason for dismissing any member of staff.
But an amendment proposed by Ibra, saying that in case of bankruptcy a company would be obliged to pay its employees before settling other debts, failed to pass.
Meanwhile independent MP Ahmed Hamza said the bill would “force too much administrative work” on small businesses, adding he believed its requirements could threaten their very existence.
More Changes
46 amendments had been proposed to the bill, of which 11 minor changes passed. But Ibra argued in parliament that the bill favoured “the employee rather than the employer”, and called for further changes to ensure both were protected.
And despite saying he believed the bill was balanced, legal reform minister Mohamed Nasheed said further amendments would be introduced “in accordance with the arguments made by Majlis members, as soon as possible”.
He added that Maldives would now aim to join the International Labour Organisation (ILO), the UN agency aiming “to promote decent work throughout the world”.
The current bill was originally proposed by government in June 2006. There was previously no comprehensive employment law in Maldives.
Despite reservations, Majlis members across the political spectrum welcomed the bill, which passed with 37 votes out of 38 members present. Courtesy: Minivan News
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