Employers advised against recycling of temporary workers

Tema, Sept. 2, GNA - The Ghana Employers Association (GEA) has organized a two-day sensitization workshop on the Labour Act in Tema with a call on employers to desist from recycling temporary workers. Nana Osei Bonsu, a Human Resource Consultant to the GEA in a presentation said, employers re-cycle their employees when they terminate their contract after working with them for six months. He said in a bid to avoid making the temporary workers permanent employees in accordance with the Labour Act, some employers would re-engage their services after terminating their contracts for two weeks or one month.

Nana Bonsu indicated that such employers could face a court action if it could be proven by the employees that management were circumventing article 75 (1) of the Labour Act 2003, which states that "a temporary worker who is employed by the same employer for a continues period of six months and more shall be treated under this part as a permanent worker".

He added that employers were required by the Act to pay their temporary employees' contributions to the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) pension scheme, medical bills and other benefits. Differentiating between a temporary employee and a casual worker, Nana Bonsu said whereas a 'temporary worker is a worker who is employed for a continuous period of not less than one month and is not a permanent worker' a casual employee is a worker engaged on a work which is seasonal or intermittent and not for a continuous period of more than six months and his remuneration is calculated on a daily basis". Mr Alex Frimpong, Director of Industrial Relations and Administration of the GEA touching on strikes and lockout, said a strike is illegal when employees do not follow the needed procedure of negotiating, mediation and voluntary arbitration. Mr Frimpong said a worker who participates in an illegal strike may have his or her services terminated by the employer without any notice for breach of contract of employment or may forfeit his or her pay in respect to the strike period. Stating the aim of the workshop, he noted that even though the Act has been in existence for five years, most employers do not comply with its provisions therefore the need to disseminate the content of the Act to them. He said human resource officers and other top managers of 50 companies in Tema, participated in the seminar freely, adding that the programme, which is sponsored by BUSAC Fund would be extended to other regions. 2 Sept. 08