Fines for employers who breach employment laws will be heavily increased according to proposed legal amendments that will start being debated in parliament on Monday.
Under the proposed amendments, the minimum fine will increase from 232 to 2,000 for a first-time breach, and can reach a maximum of 7,000 for a second offence.
“These amendments will better safeguard our workers and ensure a better quality of life, as they will serve as a stronger deterrent for abusive employers… We will not tolerate any abuse toward workers,” Parliamentary Secretary for Social Dialogue Andy Ellul said.
The amendments to the Employment and Industrial Relations Act will start being debated in parliament on Monday.
As things stand today, an employer who breaches employment laws by - for example, not paying an employee or not granting leave entitled to - faces a fine of 232 that increases to a maximum of 2,000. The fine remains the same for repeat offenders.
“We felt this was not a strong enough deterrent, so we increased the fine to ensure that, what was the maximum fine is now the minimum,” he said.
Under the amendments, employers would be fined a minimum of 2,000 and a maximum of 5,000 for a first-time offence. This would increase to between 5,000 and 7,000 for a second offence.
He added that, through these amendments, the prescription period – the time between when an employer commits the crime and when she or he is charged in court - will be extended from one to two years.
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