Minister of Labour and Social Security Joyce Simukoko has announced the revised Employment Code that will take its effect on Wednesday 13th 2020.
Mrs. Simukoko said under the revised Employment Code, employers intending to declare any worker redundant should first consult the labour office to recite the reasons including the benefit package.
She said if reasons recited are genuine, employers will be at liberty to terminate the contract with that particular worker within 24 hours.
The Minister further pointed out that the Employment Code will also exempt paying of gratuity to Expatriates, Domestic sector, Agricultural sector, apprentice and Senior Management employees as provided for under sections 54(1)(b) and (c) and 73.
And Mrs Simukoko has assured the nation that Government will continue to monitor developments on the labour market during this trying moment and the period after to ensure harmony and productivity on the labour market.
Leading economists and a human resource expert recently in their report challenged the Zambian government to repeal or at least suspend the Employment Code Act.
The report further recommends the establishment of a multi-sector Employment and Labour Legislation Taskforce, which should undertake a comprehensive review of the Employment Code Act. This action should be taken immediately, with a reversion back to the previous legislation pending further review.
“It is strongly recommended that the Employment and Labour Legislation Taskforce undertakes extensive consultations with all the relevant stakeholders to ensure that all the submissions are seriously considered bearing, in mind that what may appear to be in the best interest of employees in the short-term could result in serious repercussions in the medium- to long-term in term in forgone opportunity to enable employers to remain viable and profitable, which is essential for securing jobs and employment expansion,” they continued.
The report, Critical Assessment of the Employment Code Act by Professor Oliver Saasa of Premier Consult and Felix Mwenge, a research fellow in the Human Development Unit of the Zambia Institute for Policy Analysis and Research (ZIPAR), says the Employment Code Act (ECA) has introduced significant complications to labour and employment legislation in Zambia, which calls for urgent introspection before it begins to seriously affect growth prospects.
The mining sector has been particularly hard hit by the new legislation because of the large numbers of people it employs, they noted.
The mining industry is a significant employer: 85,111 people were employed in the sector in 2018. In that year, the mining sector accounted for 7 percent of wage employment and 3 percent of total employment in Zambia, according to the report.
A joke of a country……
Consultant on what?
This is Zambia, we have our own rules. Wanvela iwe Richard Waga aka tarino.
DON’T ENCOURAGE THEM!
It’s inevitable we will have large redundancies. Some older folks will have their lives ruined as they may not be able to compete with a younger workforce. It’s unfair dismissal in reality because the govt wants to line the purses and pockets of Capitalists!
If we had our Mines in our control with largest ownership percentages we would have ability to furlough employees over this period. We need to have a grassroot awakening, to force the govt of Zambia to revert our Mines back to us.
To this effect, I am announcing a new Party ….working title….The Mines Party. We will take centre stage with only one major Manifesto agenda…..TO TAKE BACK OUR MINES FOR THE PEOPLE OF ZAMBIA. So that our child will have wealth enough for good Schools, Hospitals, Job Prospectives, guaranteed Pensions. And every Zambia will live under the Sun ‘Proud And Free,’ in accordance with our National Anthem.
Hang on, I’m just finishing application forms………. I’m going to put this country back to order!
Another flip flopped project now switching to the damage control mode. One wonders why we are always in hurry to implement things at the expense of being emperical.Who doesn’t know that experiments can not only be costly but also embarrassing?
@The Engineer
Zei de burger uit de bananenmonarchie waar nog steeds geen mondkapjes geproduceert kunnen worden .
Ni confusion yekeyeka everyday and every night. Mwanji kuli kunya chinyanyenye kwaso in government sure!
This is one very dull minister she thinks she is still in the union…..why should they consult you have you given them any alternative funding or furlonged their workers.
WE HAVE A VERY WEEKED MINISTRY OF LABOUR, SHE HAS NO HEART FOR THE PEOPLE
Already fired my staff last month. What will GRZ do?
Consult you for what? which business can go on paying workers for months without working? kwati ni grade two aleelanda. What incentives have you given to these same companies? bar owners and most lodges have already done that and there is nothing you can do about it,