News Categories: Social Security

The Ministry of Labour and Social Security has proposed an average increase of 16.4 per cent to the Programme of Advancement Through Health and Education (PATH) cash grants, with effect from June 2019.

This will benefit an estimated 284,000 persons who fall within the vulnerable groups of children, the elderly, pregnant/lactating women, persons with disabilities, and poor adults.

This was disclosed by Minister of Finance and the Public Service, Dr. the Hon. Nigel Clarke, as he opened the 2019/20 Budget Debate in the House of Representatives, on March 7.

Dr. Clarke said the proposed increases in the cash grant to beneficiaries range from 14 to 23.1 per cent for the 2019/20 financial year.

“Some $8.3 billion has been allocated to the PATH Programme to facilitate PATH cash benefits, inclusive of the increases. With this increase, over the course of the Andrew Holness administration, individual cash grants under PATH will have increased by between 45 per cent and 55 per cent,” he noted.

In addition, the Ministry of Labour and Social Security is implementing an aggressive strategy to reach into deep rural areas to educate households about their eligibility to apply for PATH benefits, and assist these households with the application process.

Also, additional case workers will also be deployed to strengthen compliance under PATH. It is estimated that about 1,000 families will be case-managed, and grants provided, where needed.

Source: Jamaica Gleaner

The country’s private sector groupings have reported, that the Labour Ministry has responded to the call for a review of the labour laws and code procedures.

The groups recently expressed concern that the Industrial Disputes Tribunal (IDT) is employee centric, and had been ruling in favour of workers and against employers.

The concern was raised in the wake of revelations that the government decided to settle with former Human Resource Manager at Petrojam Yolande Ramharrack, instead of having the matter go through a disciplinary hearing, as that would have been more costly.

In a statement today (Feb 22) the Jamaica Manufacturers and Exporters Association (JMEA), the Private Sector Organization of Jamaica (PSOJ) and the Jamaica Chamber of Commerce (JCC) said they have been advised, that the call for the urgent review of the Labour Relations and Industrial Dispute Act, and the Labour Relations Code, was tabled in a meeting of the Labour Advisory Council on February 13.

Subsequently, the Ministry of Labour and social security requested formal comments from key stakeholders, as to the issues or areas for inclusion in the review.

The groups acknowledged the development and expressed appreciation to the minister for her decision to use her authority and to act on the recommendation to review the act and its code, as well as to consult with the private sector stakeholders in undertaking the modification.

The groups say they are anticipating the review being conducted with fairness, transparency and alacrity.

Source: IrieFm.net

As The Mico University College moves towards achieving full university status, new programmes will be offered that are geared towards training students for new jobs that have been surfacing globally.

President, Dr. Asburn Pinnock, made the announcement at the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Ministry of Labour and Social Security at the institution on Tuesday (February 19).

“As we move towards University status, we are now diversifying our offerings to include Bachelor of Science programmes in Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Mathematics, as well as Bachelor of Arts programmes in Literacy, Language and Literature. We will also offer courses in animation, robotics and a wide range of short and professional developmental courses tailor-made for schools and the industry,” Dr. Pinnock said.

“The Mico University College recognises the impact we need to make as the leader in teacher training in Jamaica, and the Vision 2030 goals that we endeavour to make a reality,” he added.

In 2017, Pro-Chancellor, The Mico University College, Professor Neville Ying, announced that the institution started its plans to become a full university, and in 2018, he pointed out that the institution was far advanced in the process.

The MOU is geared towards enhancing the Labour Market Information System (LMIS), an Internet-based system that is operated by the Ministry of Labour and Social Security. It facilitates job placement, provides labour market intelligence and offers career development services.

The MOU will allow both organisations to begin working together to: better disseminate labour market intelligence, increase career development and populate a Skills Bank with certified persons.

Dr. Pinnock also announced that The Mico University College will be hosting its inaugural Mico International Mathematics Teaching Summit this year, as part of its new offerings.

“The inaugural staging of the Mico International Mathematics Teaching Summit will take place from March 25 to 27, in partnership with the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information, under the theme ‘Mathematics for Sustainable Economic Growth and Job Creation’,” he said.

“This initiative is yet another response from The Mico to the increasing demand for more qualified and equipped mathematics teachers to supply our local market as well as the rising international needs. We believe that this event will increase our knowledge networks, create a log of relevant research and publications that will influence future policy decisions and prepare our teachers for the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), which will boost Jamaica’s ranking in the world,” Dr. Pinnock added.

Source: JIS

For Immediate Release: Friday, February 15, 2019, Kingston.

It has been brought to the attention of the Ministry of Labour and Social Security that unscrupulous persons, purporting to be agents of the Ministry, have been issuing approval letters to persons; advising that they have been selected to participate in the Ministry’s Overseas Employment (Farm Work) Programme.

The Ministry wishes to advise the public that it does not issue approval letters to applicants. Rather, the shortlisted persons are invited to attend an interview at the Ministry’s offices.

The Ministry also wishes to remind the public that ABSOLUTELY NO FEES ARE TO BE PAID TO ANYONE FOR PARTICIPATION IN

ANY OF THE MINISTRY’S OVERSEAS WORK PROGRAMMES. If you have been approached and offered placement in the Ministry’s Overseas Employment Programmes for a fee, report the matter IMMEDIATELY to the nearest police.

The Ministry is emphasizing that any person engaging in conspiracy or collusion to illegally gain access to the Overseas Employment Programmes will be permanently barred.

Do not get scammed. When in Doubt, Check it Out!

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Contact: Sandrea Dennis Plummer (Mrs), Public Relations Manager Straight Line: (876) 967-5484 CUG: (876) 550-3527|Email: sandrea.plummer@mlss.gov.jm or prunit@mlss.gov.jm

MINISTER of Labour and Social Security Shahine Robinson says that a number of parish offices across the island will be upgraded and renovated in short order.

“Having gone around the island and looked at them, I realised that most of them have outgrown their useful capacity, and also, we have a large number of disabled persons who must access the services,” she said.

She noted that tenders are out for the refurbishing of the St James parish office and another on Ripon Road in Kingston.

Work is already under way at the St Ann parish office.

“It will be a beautiful new complex. It should be completed in June and we hope to move in by the end of this year,” she added.

Robinson was speaking at the official opening of the new state-of-the-art Hanover parish office on Thursday.

The 4,000-square foot facility, located at Bustamante Square in Lucea, was purchased at a cost of $92 million, with an additional $20 million spent to complete refurbishing works.

It houses the various social departments that fall under the ministry, to include the National Insurance Scheme, Programme for Advancement Through Health and Education, the Labour Division, National Council for Senior Citizens, among others.

Robinson said the facility will better serve the needs of the residents of Hanover.

“This new office is the first in a series that will provide the ministry with a better chance of pursuing its mandate of providing effective social protection for the needy, promoting social inclusion for all, providing sustainable industrial relations standards, promoting productivity growth, ensuring safety and health for all workers, and maintaining an effective and efficient labour market,” she noted.

The vision of the Ministry of Labour and Social Security is to contribute to national development through the provision of efficient and effective labour and social security services, within the context of a globalised economy.

It is mandated to promote a stable industrial climate through tripartite dialogue; ensure the highest standards of occupational safety and health at the workplace; facilitate increased access to employment; and effectively manage social protection programmes for groups with special needs — including persons below the poverty line, the elderly and the disabled.

Source: Jamaica Observer

The Ministry of Labour and Social Security will use a US$1.5 million fund from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) to strengthen its work permit system. The improvement of the system, according to Minister Shahine Robinson, is to be done under the public sector modernisation project.

“I want to assure you that there is a rigorous process in place for the work permit applications. The IDB, through the Ministry of Finance, will fund the strengthening of our work permit system. The aim of the programme is to roll out a new client-focused, web-based work permit system that will be linked to the Labour Market Information System,” Robinson said at her ministry’s quarterly press briefing yesterday.

SKILLS BANK

She said that it is envisioned that the new system will, among other things, provide a local skills bank in relation to the importation of skilled workers, resulting in more stringent measures for approval. It will also serve to shorten the time allotted for processing and will assist in simplifying the process of doing business in Jamaica.

Robinson also disclosed that effective April 1, work permit fees would be standardised across all sectors of the labour market. Work permit application fees will increase from $15,000 to $17,250. Work permit fees will now be $48,875 per quarter or part thereof. This equates to $195,500 per annum.

According to the minister, the adjustment is necessary because of the disparity across the system in regards of fees being charged.

She said that in the case of persons coming to Jamaica to work, it would make more sense for the adoption of a single standard-fee policy that would cover all sectors of employment.

Source: Jamaica Gleaner

The Ministry of Labour and Social Security recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Montego Bay Community College (MBCC), in an effort to bridge the skills gap and form a sustainable nexus between jobseekers and employers in the western region of the country.

The signing took place at the opening ceremony of the St. James leg of the Ministry’s ‘Labour Department and You’ roadshow, held at the Civic Centre in Sam Sharpe Square, Montego Bay.

Labour Component Coordinator of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) Integrated Social Protection and Labour Project, administered by the Ministry, Lyndon Ford, said that coming out of a research done by the Ministry’s Labour Market Information System (LMIS),   the findings showed that there are a number of hot jobs in the western region, but employers are finding it difficult to identify the right talents.

The project is therefore geared towards facilitating the job-readiness of candidates through training workshops that build their capacity to craft proper résumés, prepare for interviews and learn how to work in teams.

Mr. Ford pointed out that the MoU is designed to help institutions such as the MBCC to identify training needs and craft solutions to address those needs.

“The partnership will also ensure that students are registered to our job bank (lmis.gov.jm) while improving the cadre and quality of candidates for our registered employers to select from, so that we can continue to address the issues of unemployment and contribute to Jamaica’s productivity and development,” he explained.

Source: JIS

The Ministry wishes to advise NIS pensioners that all pension vouchers payable from Monday,
December 24, 2018 to Friday, December 28, 2018, may be encashed at your Post Office from Monday, December 17, 2018.

The National Commercial Bank (NCB) will only cash pension vouchers on or after the date they are payable. For further information, you may contact the NIS Office located in your parish.

Have a blessed Christmas and a 2019 filled with love, peace and joy.

Labour and Social Security Minister Shahine Robinson has said that her ministry is committed to the swift implementation of the Disabilities Act, which was passed in 2014.

“The Government remains committed for the long term to guarantee full inclusion. Consequently, it has been working through the Ministry of Labour and Social Security to ensure that persons with disabilities are constantly empowered,” Robinson said.

“We recognise, however, the need for strengthened capacity, and so the organisational review currently taking place will provide many of the solutions for the issues and challenges raised.”

‘I Am Able’ Campaign

The minister was speaking at the launch of a new comprehensive report on persons with disabilities on Monday, which was recognised as International Day for Persons with Disabilities. The ‘I am Able’ media campaign to promote the empowerment and inclusion of children with disabilities was also launched.

Robinson said that she has turned up the pressure on her team to get the required codes of practices in place.

“I have been pressing the entire team at the ministry to provide a timeline for when this is expected to be completed as implementation of the act is contingent on corresponding codes of practices, and I have been told that the code of practices will be ready early in the coming financial year,” she said.

The minister’s response came after a call by the Digicel Foundation, the Jamaica Council for Persons with Disabilities, and the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund for the full enforcement of the Disabilities Act and for greater inclusion of children with disabilities.

Digicel Foundation Chief Executive Officer Karlene Dawson said that more must be done.

“The Government has made significant strides in addressing the problems faced by persons living with disabilities. However, the country has to move swiftly to enact the Disabilities Act,” Dawson said.

Source: http://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/lead-stories/20181206/interest-groups-call-full-implementation-disabilities-act

The Codes of Practice to protect persons with disabilities are to be completed in the upcoming 2019/2020 financial year.

Meanwhile, the Disability Regulations are to be completed by the end of December.

This was noted by Minister of Labour and Social Security, Hon. Shahine Robinson, at the launch of a ‘Situational Analysis of Persons with Disabilities’ report, on Monday (December 3), at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel in Kingston.

The launch was held as part of the commemorative activities for the United Nations International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD), observed annually on December 3. The theme for this year was ‘Empowering persons with disabilities and ensuring inclusiveness and equality’.

Minister Robinson said the Ministry is working assiduously to ensure that the codes are completed as quickly as possible, as implementation of the Disabilities Act is contingent on the corresponding codes of practice.

“Going forward, the Ministry is dedicated to implementation of the Disabilities Act. The codes of practice currently being drafted will provide practical guidance to our stakeholders in education, training and empowerment on how to ensure inclusion of persons with disabilities,” Mrs. Robinson said.

She encouraged members of the private and public sectors, as well as civil society, to be “more deliberate in engaging the community of persons with disabilities”.

“The Government remains committed for the long term to guarantee full inclusion. Consequently, it has been working through the Ministry of Labour and Social Security to ensure that persons with disabilities are constantly empowered. We recognise, however, the need for strengthened capacity, and so the organisational review currently taking place will provide many of the solutions to the issues and challenges raised in the situational analysis,” she noted.

The codes and regulations follow the passage of the Disabilities Act in 2014 and will set the minimum standards on how the public is to interact with persons with disabilities (PWDs).

They will also guide the participation of PWDs in society and will state the penalties for discrimination.

Also launched at the event was the ‘I Am Able’ disability awareness media campaign, which seeks to promote the empowerment and inclusion of children with disabilities.

The report and the campaign are the main outcomes of a two-year partnership between the Ministry and Jamaica Council for Persons with Disabilities (JCPD), which began in 2017.

The main purpose of the report is to provide evidence-based recommendations for the implementation of the Disabilities Act, which was passed in 2014, but is yet to be fully enforced.

It underscores that persons with disabilities are often overlooked and marginalised, and tend to face discrimination and social exclusion.

The initiatives are being spearheaded by the JCPD, in partnership with Digicel Foundation and United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

Source: https://jis.gov.jm/codes-of-practice-to-protect-persons-with-disabilities-2/