Dean Peart THERE WAS a 5.8 per cent increase in the number of complaints received by the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, regarding pay and conditions of employment, during 2001. The total moved upwards from 4,502 to 4,765.
The information which is contained in the Ministry's Statistical Bulletin 2001, was also addressed by Dean Peart, Labour and Social Security Minister, during his recent contribution to the 2002/2003 Sectoral Debate.
According to the Bulletin, the Employment (Termination and Redundancy Payments) Act continued to contribute the highest number of complaints received with 2,267 or 47.6 per cent; followed by the Holidays with Pay Act with 1,936 or 40 per cent. Roughly 55.8 per cent of complainants were women.
Kingston recorded the highest level of complaints, 1,616 or 39.9 per cent of the total, followed by Montego Bay, St. James with 31.5 per cent or 1,501.
While the Kingston regional office recorded the largest number of complaints in relation to the Employment (Termination and Redundancy Payments) Act, the Montego Bay regional office recorded the highest in relation to the Holiday with Pay Act.
A total of 1,232 visits were carried out by the Ministry during 2001, a decrease of 30 per cent when compared to the previous year. Kingston recorded a significant decrease of 91.3 per cent, moving from 918 in 2000, to 80 last year.
In 2000, inspections regarding the National Minimum Wage Act accounted for 42.4 per cent of total inspections. Last year it accounted for only 21.3 per cent. Inspections made in relation to the Employment (Termination and Redundancy Payments) Act accounted for 29.7 per cent of the visits.
Investigations also declined by 24.3 per cent, moving from 2,436 to 1,845. All categories of legislation recorded an increase in investigations, except the National Minimum Wage Act which declined to 293 from 1,212.
Meanwhile, voluntary settlements made by employees in 2001 experienced a decline of 7.1 per cent, moving from $19.9 million to $18.5 million. Payments regarding the Employment (Termination and Redundancy Payments) Act declined by 12.8 per cent, and 49.9 per cent for the Maternity Leave Act. Kingston recorded the highest amount of funds collected, 40.8 per cent, totalling $7.535 million.
Voluntary settlements under the National Minimum Wage Act increased by 17.2 per cent during the year, moving from $936,518 to $1,098.038. January registered a 75 per cent decline while December accounted for the highest increase, 83.2 per cent.
There was a sharp decrease of 85.1 per cent in the amount of money deposited by employers with the Ministry during 2001, falling from $3.4 million to $509, 805. The number of employers who made deposits also fell by 39.3 per cent from 61 to 37.
