Industrial Disputes Act to be amended

• Cabinet nod for changes to enable disciplinary inquiries to be completed within 6 months 
• Employee to receive 50% of salary during inquiry unless charged with financial fraud 
• Cabinet Spokesman says change will benefit private sector workers

Cabinet has approved amending the Industrial Disputes Act to enable disciplinary inquiries to be wrapped up within six months to aid dispute resolution and support the private sector, a top official said yesterday. 

Labour Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva tabled the proposal to amend the Industrial Disputes Act No. 43 of 1950 to issue a final disciplinary order within six months from the date of Interdiction of an employee, Cabinet Spokesman Keheliya Rambukwella told reporters during the weekly briefing. 

Minister Rambukwella said that many private sector employees who face disciplinary inquires struggle with significant hardships due to labour laws which govern dispute resolution not specifying a time limit for a final decision to the inquires. 

The proposed amendments to the Act which became law in 1950 will include provisions that allow the employee to receive a half payment of the salary unless the relevant charge is a financial fraud, he added.