Saturday, July 27, 2024

Employers who don’t pay minimum wage may face arrest

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Workers working on the Kulima Tower bus station shelter.

GOVERNMENT says the law on the revised minimum wage is still in force and employers in default face six months imprisonment.

The Ministry of Labour has developed a special inspection programme to monitor compliance to the revised minimum wage.

Acting Labour Commissioner Venus Seti said Statutory Instruments 45, 46, and 47 of 2012 regarding the minimum wage for domestic and general workers has not been stayed or withdrawn.[pullquote]employers who have been paying their workers above the minimum wage before it was effected need to increase the salaries by K50,000[/pullquote].

Mr Seti said this yesterday when deputy Minister of Labour and Social Securities Ronald Chitotela, held a consultative meeting with proprietors of business houses operating in Kamwala in Lusaka.

He said reports circulating that this particular piece of legislation has been withdrawn is false.

“The statutory instrument is still in force. I know all of us are affected but there is nothing we can do because it is law. We all have to comply,” he said.

Mr Seti said employers who will not adhere to the revised minimum wage will be charged 2,500 penalty units or serve six months imprisonment.

He said employers should adhere to the legislation, regardless of the collective agreement at their various institutions.Mr Seti said employers who have been paying their workers above the minimum wage before it was effected need to increase the salaries by K50,000.

“What is in court over the revised minimum wage is just the judicial review. The statutory instrument has been stayed. So if there are employers who are having difficulties implementing the law, you are free to write to the ministry and our technocrats will evaluate the reasons you advance on this matter,” he said.
Mr Seti advised employers to clearly indicate the job description of all employees, to avoid conflicts on perks.

[Daily Mail]

12 COMMENTS

  1. PF should be ready to employee the people who will be off loaded by us employers who cannot pay their minimum shit. This dictatorship is hurting Zambia. If for example an entity is already loss making but being kept going for strategic reasons, then the employer will not risk more of their money but close down. This government is full of *****s from top to down, inside out. Fu………………………….ck

    • From your rantings my friend, it’s easy to tell that you are not a Zambian. If you are, then your patriotism is very questionable. I feel sorry for people like you. You don’t even sound like you are an employer as you claim.

    • @thomlee. Well put! As off 1st October 2012 the minimum wage for adults in the UK (where this Political Fool is) will be £6.19 for workers aged 21 and over. Yet he/she would like to see fellow Zambians not being paid decent wages. Truly unpatriotic! 

  2. Arrest them or let them pay fines pliiiiiz. OK one thng suppose they’r in UK wat will u do? Let the govnt carry out serious inspections in all companies!!!!!!

  3. “Mr Seti said employers who have been paying their workers above the minimum wage before it was effected need to increase the salaries by K50,000” Can this statement please be clarified. Is this part of the S.I and how did they arrive at 50pin or did this f***wit just fart this out.

  4. PF let the govt employ all the unemployed, Do not force people to give what they don’t have. Imwe mwali ilundila ama 100%. And you think we are happy with you, let 2016 come, you will see.

  5. let the Government adopt a listening attitude which is better than imposing attitude. Force breeds what is not healthy but a listening attitude wins more hearts.

  6. I own a store since PF came into power my revenue has gone down by 75%. People come to the store but the majority of them do not buy. I make a point to ask them the answer is always”we have no money and we cant spend money when we do not know whether we will be fired from our jobs because Sata and his government have been laying off people and putting relatives” How am I supposed to increase my workers salary under these conditions? They are supposed to get money to do the same duties while watching customers come and go. If this was PF plan of putting money in peoples pockets, this is ridiculous. They need economists in this governments. Even my workers who yes I feel sorry for but I am just as helpless said it does not make sense where is the money going to come from.

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