Jamaican Labour Law explained

 

Written by Damalio Powell 

Jamaican labour laws are laws that are developed to protect Jamaican employees from discrimination, and unsafe work environments. Labour laws in Jamaica has gone through 3 important stages

The first phase involved the recognition of trade unions, collective bargaining, and the involvement of the state to set up labour departments.

The second phase involved structuring a system for the settlements of disputes. This is the reason in 1975 the Jamaica Labour Relations and Industrial Disputes Act was approved to provide protection for the settlement of disputes, negotiation, conciliation, and arbitration.

And finally, the 3rd phase involved the introduction of social protection laws based on the International Labour Organization standards such as sick leave and maternity pay. 

Important Acts under labour law include: 

Apprenticeship Act; Equal Pay for Men and Women Act; Termination and Redundancy Payments Act of 1974; Employment Agencies Regulation Act; Factories Act, Foreign Nationals and Commonwealth Citizens Act, Holiday With Pay Act, Labour Officers Act; Labour Relations and Industrial Disputes Act; Maternity Leave Act; Minimum Wage Act; Pensions Act; Recruiting of Workers Act; The Opticians Act; The Professional Engineers Registration Act; Trade Union Act; The Women Employment of Act; Workmen's Compensation Act, and finally we have the Sexual Harassment Act.