Labour Department limits visitors

The Labour Department yesterday announced further limitation of its services due to the recent spike in COVID-19 infections.  

Issuing a statement, the Labour Commissioner General said that the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) Benefit Payment Division of the Head Office and Regional Offices of the Department will be closed today (12) with a view to contain the spread of COVID-19.

From 17 May only the General Benefit Payment Branch of the EPF administered by the Head Office and District Offices will remain open. The provision of services in the EPF Pre-Payment Division (30%) by the Head Office and locally functioning offices will be temporarily suspended until further notice.

The Labour Department further informed the public that services will be provided only to the individuals who visit with a prior appointment through the link http://www.labourdept.gov.lk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=351&lang+en

With a view to deliver an uninterrupted service to the public, the department provides the facility of diverting calls received to the office phones of the executive officers during office hours to their mobile phones. The officers’ respective contact details can be obtained through http://labourdept.gov.lk/images/PDF_upload/notices/contacts.pdf of the official website.

The customers visiting the Provincial and District Labour Offices to claim EPF are kindly requested to get a prior appointment by contacting the relevant office over the phone. The telephone numbers and email addresses of these offices can be obtained through the official website of Labour Department (www.labourdept.gov.lk).

Any matter concerned with labour L=laws may also be forwarded to the Labour Office within the area of jurisdiction in which your workplace is/was situated, in the form of a written inquiry or written complaint. The telephone numbers and email addresses for this purpose may be obtained from http://labourdept.gov.lkimages/PDF_upload/notices/contacts%20by%20type.pdf of the official website of the department.

Written inquiries from the various divisions located can be sent through communication methods such as WhatsApp and Viber.

The department urges the public to obtain the services on office days, during office hours (8:30 a.m. to 4:15 p.m.), through distance communication methods whenever possible without visiting the office personally, so as to contain the spread of COVID-19.