Cabinet green-lights tripartite deal for COVID-19 period wages

Cabinet yesterday approved a tripartite agreement by Employers’ Federation of Ceylon (EFC), the trade unions and the Ministry of Skills Development, Employment and Labour Relations to pay pro-rate wages based on varied levels of deployment of staff. Cabinet spokesman Bandula Gunawardana yesterday said the Cabinet paper presented by Foreign Relations, Skills Development, Employment and Labour Relations Minister Dinesh Gunawardena had been approved.  

The agreement reached was on the basis that there can be a distinction between the payment of wages in respect of employees who performed work and those who had to be ‘benched’ (without any work). This arrangement aims at addressing situations where companies will not be able to bring in the entire compliment of the work force due to restrictions that have been imposed (on account of health concerns). 

The scheme will be applied to pro-rate wages in respect of employees who cannot be deployed at work simultaneously due to health restrictions. Members are encouraged to rotate workers wherever possible and give as many opportunities for employees to resume work and supplement their livelihoods under this scheme.

Similarly, the scheme which is applicable to monthly paid employees in all sectors, will be limited in its application for the months of May and June 2020. The scheme is applicable to all sectors without exception. However, any employer who cannot afford to pay employees based on this scheme could make representations to the Commissioner General of Labour.