Old labour laws repealed new Employment Act

Claris Ogangah

The new labour laws were passed in 2007, however, they commenced operation last year after the Labour minister gave a commencement date.

The old laws were then repealed. The Employment Act at part xiii provides the measures that the Minister for Labour is to ensure labour laws are in place.

Section 91 in part xiii provides that the minister will appoint a National Labour Board, which will advise him on the rules that will allow for the administration of the laws.

The rules will take care of issues such as sanitary arrangements like housing, feeding, sickness, injured employees and will also prescribe the books to be kept by employers and the returns to be rendered by the employers.

They will provide for regulation of working hours, including the maximum hours an employee should work, intervals of rest, holidays with or without pay and any traveling expenses to be allowed to employees.

It will also provide for appointment of supervisors where employees exceed a certain number. It is important to note the new law has ensured no employee is employed as a casual for more than three months.

Streamline procedures

The rules will also streamline procedures employers adopt to notify the public of vacancies.

For women and children, the rules will ensure that conditions of their employment are in line with the law. This includes prescribing the age at which a child may be employed.

They will prescribe the form of notices relating to wages and other terms of employment.

The National Labour Board that will advise the minister has a wide mandate to ensure the rules are respected.

Even though the National Labour Board was constituted early this year, it might take sometime before the rules come into force.

We however, hope the work is underway and it will not be long before implementation of the new laws.