New rule on farm workers’ benefits
Posted: Tuesday, August 20, 2002

Herald

ALL commercial farmers whose pieces of land have been designated for resettlement are now forced to pay terminal benefits to their former workers following a new rule now in force.

In the amendment of the Labour Relations (Terminal Benefits and Entitlements of Agricultural Employees Affected by Compulsory Acquisition) Regulations gazetted last week, all farm workers will be entitled to receive benefits even if their employers were served with notices before the regulations came into effect.

Affected farm workers will also receive their terminal benefits whether or not their employment was terminated before or after the regulations were introduced.

According to a statutory instrument published in the Government Gazette, the amendment was necessary to avoid doubt over what category of workers qualified for compensation.

In April this year, an Agricultural Employees’ Compensation Committee to determine terminal benefits to farm workers whose employers’ farms are acquired for resettlement was set up.

The committee, chaired by the Secretary for Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare or his nominee, comprises representatives from the ministries of Agriculture, Local Government and the National Employment Council for the Agricultural Industry.

It determines what terminal benefits and entitlements, if any, are due to any employee of an employer in respect of whom the committee receives notification of payment of compensation for land compulsorily acquired for resettlement. MORE 

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