The Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training has issued letters to employers reminding them to implement the Kingdom’s labour laws more effectively, especially concerning the seniority payment formula.
The letters, dated February 21 and sent to the Cambodian Federation of Employers and Business Associations (Camfeba), touched on various issues.
They include labour inspections to ensure correct calculation of proportionate annual leave and seniority payment, and the existence of factory-based infirmaries and a single medical centre for workers in a certain area where factories are concentrated.
The letters also instructed employers to keep such labour inspections by the relevant authorities confidential.
On seniority, the letters outlined the formula to calculate payments for employees and workers on unlimited-duration contracts (UDC) and those on fixed-duration contracts (FDC) before job termination.
Ministry spokesman Heng Sour told The Post on Wednesday that the letters highlighted progress in the implementation of the law which had been agreed upon by relevant parties.
“We have already reached an agreement during a meeting of the 8th working group in August last year. February 26 is the time to report its work-in-progress,” he said, referring to the group that represents the labour sector.
The government has held annual forums with working groups in the private sector for the past 12 years in a bid to address their concerns. The next forum is scheduled for April 1 and will be presided over by Prime Minister Hun Sen.
“Samdech [Hun Sen] will meet with the private sector and the 8th working group will report its progress,” he said.
Collective Union of Movement of Workers president Pav Sina said issues raised in some of the letters are already stipulated in the labour law. But most employers had not fully implemented it, he said, citing day-nursery for workers as still lacking.
“During labour inspections, if [the authorities] find that employers had failed to follow the law, they will be issued with fines. I think that the letters aim to remind employers to do whatever possible to implement the law properly,” he said.
Garment Manufacturers Association in Cambodia (GMAC) deputy secretary-general Kaing Monika could not be reached for comment on Wednesday.
But during the 8th working group’s meeting on Wednesday, GMAC representative Nang Sothy said the government had always supported employers and employees and solved problems for both sides.
Quoted in the labour ministry’s Facebook post on Wednesday, Sothy said the 8th working group’s meeting aimed to address concerns and challenges faced by the private sector as suggested by the prime minister.
He also commended labour minister Ith Sam Heng for his effective oversight of the labour sector and for addressing concerns raised at the 8th working group’s meeting.
The Facebook post added that since March 14, last year, the ministry had responded to many requests from those in the private sector.
It said the ministry had organised multi-party consultation forums to discuss “amendments to the labur law” and issued numerous guidelines aimed at thriving the labour sector.
