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Labour official orders Chisteel Zambia to refund employee

Labour official orders Chisteel Zambia to refund employee
By Agness Changala
Tue 15 Nov. 2011, 13:59 CAT

A LABOUR inspector has directed Chisteel Zambia Limited to reimburse its employee money which was deducted from his salary after it was given as a funeral grant. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Labour has ordered Hua Jiag Investment in Lusaka, a Chinese-owned company, to pay the fired workers their benefits.

Isaac Mulembe, an employee of Chisteel Zambia Limited, was assisted with a funeral grant of K360,000 but later, the company deducted the same from him as salary advance because according to them, his deceased son did not live long enough to qualify for the funeral grant.

In a letter to the company managing director dated October 18, 2011, labour inspector Yolanda Lumpuma, said the ministry was very disappointed with the inhumane treatment of Mulembe, especially that evidence of his child's birth and death were provided.

Lumpuma referred to section 13 of the general order 2011 of the minimum wages and conditions of employment Act, Capt 276 of the Laws of Zambia stating that in the event of the death of an employee, their spouse or registered child, the employer shall provide the following in form of a funeral grant: A standard coffin, financial assistance towards funeral expenses of K350,000; 50 kilogrammes of mealie meal and transport to and from the local cemetery or any amount of moneyn equivalent to such transport.

Lumpuma directed the company to reimburse Mulembe and any other amount spent to meet expenses incurred during the funeral, which otherwise would have been provided by them.

Lumpuma further stated that failure to comply with the directive would leave the ministry with no choice but to refer the matter tocourt for adjudication.
And the ministry has instructed Hua Jiag Investment in Lusaka to pay fired workers their benefits.

Eight workers were fired after they protested against poor conditions of service and exposed the injustices in the company to The Post. The ministry instructed the company accountant to pay the workers their money by November 20, 2011.

Labels: LABOUR

posted by MrK @ 6:20 PM