THE MINISTRY of Labour, Social Security and Human Resource Development is conducting a review of the Employment Rights Act, 2012, and is inviting members of the public to submit any comments or concerns on the legislation.
The Employment Rights Act was proclaimed in 2013 following extensive tripartite consultation. However, subsequent to the proclamation of the Act some concerns have been raised by workers, employers and other members of the public, as they relate to the application of the law and the exclusion of important provisions from the legislation. As with the passage of any Statute, there may be pertinent provisions which might not have been considered during the consultative and the legislative drafting process.
The Employment Rights Act confers on persons new employment rights which include inter alia, a right to a statutory minimum amount of notice of termination for both employers and employees, and for employees.
 It also includes: The right, at the commencement of employment, to a written statement of the particulars of the employment; the right, whenever salary or wages are paid, to a written statement of the particulars of the payment; the right not to be unfairly dismissed; the right, if dismissed for redundancy, to priority on re-hiring in certain circumstances; the right to be consulted before being laid off or placed on short-time; the right, where employment has ended, to a certificate giving particulars of the employment including, where the employment ended by dismissal (should the employee so wish), a statement of the reasons for the dismissal.
Members of the public are invited to email their comments or concerns on the Employment’s Rights Act 2012 to [email protected]. Persons may also post their comments to the attention of the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Labour, Social Security and Human Resource Development,  3rd Floor West Wing, Warrens Office Complex, Warrens, St. Michael, no later than September 11, 2015. (BGIS)
