Labour Dept. conducts e-survey of COVID-19 impact on companies

• Data collection to assist in formulating appropriate policies 
• 400-500 companies have already responded, target 25,000
• Plans to release interim report to be submitted to line Minister

The Department of Labour has launched an e-survey on private sector establishments affected due to COVID-19 pandemic.

The Department of Labour has requested private sector companies to complete the e-survey available at https://forms.gle/pE64ygeuHrK7TZxH9 or through its official website www.labourdept.gov.lk and submit on or before 3 May.

It said that the data collected through the survey is extremely important to take appropriate decisions in terms of protecting both the business and employment.

“As the country is in a partial lockdown to stop the spread of COVID-19, we are in a vulnerable position with no data to understand its impact on companies. The main objective of this e-survey is to collect data that will enable us to take decisions to help both employees and employers,” Labour Commissioner General A. Wimalaweera told the Daily FT.

“Despite the challenging times, our expectation is that the companies will not terminate their employees, but will manage to keep the payroll active,” he added.

According to the Commissioner General, as of yesterday, around 400 to 500 companies have submitted the survey. 

Noting that there are over 86,000 companies employing 2.6 million workers are registered under the department, Wimalaweera said depending on the submissions, the deadline too might be extended.

“If we receive at least over 25,000, an interim report will be submitted to the Skills Development, Employment and Labour Relations Minister Dinesh Gunawardena,” he said.  

The e-survey has required details ranging from nature of the business, total number of employees being employed at the end of February 2020, total number of employees being employed at the end of February 2020, if the business is open total number of employees working at present, reasons for establishment closed / in partial operation, if the business has been closed if they expect to reopen and reasons not to reopen.

Other queries include  whether companies have already terminated its permanent / probationary / contract / part-time / casual employees and how many, any plans to reduce / terminate employees in the future due to the impact of COVID-19 and how many permanent / probationary / contract / part-time / casual employees, taken steps to pay April salary for employees even if the business has been closed, if the business will remain closed for the coming few months how they expect to pay workers who have been made to stay at home.

Labour Department is also keen to find out the financial loss suffered by companies on account of the COVID-19 from January to end of March 2020, projected financial loss from April to end of June 2020, if businesses have obtained / applied for the loan granted by Government at 4% interest rate to support working capital and what they expect from the Government to mitigate the impact of their business.

Conglomerates and diversified business are required to fill in individual forms for each business. The Department of Labour has assured the confidentiality of data provided. (CdeS)