LIVE UPDATES: COVID Management March 3, 2021

Key points and live updates from the March 3, 2021 COVID management press conference featuring Minister of Labour Colin Jordan; Claudette Hope-Greenidge, Chief Labour Officer; Leslie Haynes, QC, Chairman of the National Insurance Scheme and Jennifer Hunte, acting Director of NIS.

Ambassador Elizabeth Thompson

• At Harrison Point there are 2 young people between 17 and 40 years old in primary isolation;
• 1 minor under 18 is in secondary isolation;
• 3 minors are in tertiary isolation;
• 108 minors are at facilities across the country.

Minister of Labour Colin Jordan

• All labour laws are still in effect.
• Workers must adhere to all laws.
• The Ministry will not allow any group to take advantage of another group.
• All partners engaged must make sure laws are followed – and there is reasonableness and fairness.

On the Minimum Wage …

• The board got to work and came up with a report which will be made available to the public.
• A minimum wage order was drafted.
• Objections can be lodged with the Ministry, addressed to the Minimum Wage Board.
• Before month end, they will go back to Cabinet and a decision will be made on a minimum wage and what it should be.
• A decision will be on April 1, 2021.

• The Employment Rights Act is being reviewed
• It is hoped by the middle of March 2021 the amendment will be ready.
• There are discussions for a Labour Code
• The Ministry is also working on legislation that deals with discrimination, not just in the workplace.
• The Ministry is meeting with a cruise line, pursuing employment opportunities.
• The Ministry is exploring opportunities other than agricultural or hospitality for workers.
• If you have been asked to quarantine at home or any other place, you can’t be at work.
• Therefore, no employer can say to a worker ‘you have to come to work’.
• Isolation means the person is ill.
• It is not legal nor allowed to flout an instruction from the Chief Medical officer or someone acting on his behalf.

The Ministry dealt with complaints:

• People being called out to work, pay issues and vacations.
• Vacation is at the discretion of the employer according to law.
• Employers can’t give less than 14 days’ notice.
• When you can’t have the six week period as far as layoffs are concerned, you still have to enter into consultation immediately with Chief Labour Officer.
• Workers’ representatives must be brought into picture and must be informed.
• Let lay-offs be your last resort.
• Severance liability falls with the employer.
• People who work must be paid.
• Vacation is to be paid.
• The Minister says he had no reports of employers coercing workers to take the COVID-19 vaccine.
• Taking the vaccine is optional.
• We strongly encourage people to take the vaccine but it is not compulsory.
• Medical officials, the Attorney General and Prime Minister have been strong on this.

Chairman of the National Insurance Scheme, Leslie Haynes, QC

• Barbadians understand now, the important role played by the NIS
• The NIS paid over $155 million in claims
• There were approx. 50 000 unemployment claims
• 38 000 individual unemployment claims
• 4000 of these did not qualify
• There were then 34 000 people who benefited from the unemployment fund
• The NIS had to ensure severance payments were made with alacrity
• A Board paper was sent to the Ministry of Finance within the last week.
• Hopefully after review, the request to become a statutory body will be approved.
• That was triggered by the pandemic.
• This should be an essential step in the growth of national insurance and social security of Barbados.