ThnkingAloud
JF-Expert Member
- Sep 13, 2017
- 546
- 564
Dear all,
My reading and interpretation of Section 40 of the Employment and Labour Relations Act. Cap. 366 R.E. 2019 tells me that it was the intention of the Legislature to make it mandatory for any employee to be re-instated by the employer after a finding by a tribunal or court of law that the employee's termination was both substantively and procedurally unfair.
I am saying so because of the following scenarios:
Scenario One:
Re-instatement - The financial benefits payable to the re-instated employee are remuneration, as defined in the Act, for the whole period that the employee has been out of work.
Scenario Two:
For whatever reason that the employee has not been re-instated:
Reason one - the employer has refused to re-instate the employee
- Here the financial benefits that accrued to the employee are similar to those in scenario one above.
Reason two - the employee has decided not to continue with the employer.
- Here the financial benefits that accrue to the employee are restricted to not less than twelve months' compensation based on remuneration plus other statutory terminal benefits.
Consider the following:
1. In Scenario One the employee has been out of work for 50 months and is re-instated, the financial benefits will be calculated on the basis of 50 months. This will be similar to Scenario Two - Reason One.
2. In Scenario Two - Reason Two - the financial benefits that accrue to the employee will be based on the pleadings of the employee OR restricted to not less than 12 months' remuneration BUT not necessarily 50 months, a period during which the employee has been out of work.
Thus, in consideration 1 above the employee will benefit more unlike in consideration 2 where re-instatement is not opted for by the employee.
Can anyone assist to analyze the wording of the section and my analysis and advise please?
Since it was the intention of legislature for the employee to benefit the same way in both scenarios, it means it is unfair to restrict the compensation payable to the same employee, as explained above, when the employee is legally terminated by the court for reason that the employer chose not to re-instate OR the employee decided not to be re-instated.
If I were a judge, I would rule, in Scenario Two, that the compensation should be paid in addition to unpaid remuneration for a maximum of 50 months' remuneration to be fair with Scenario One Ceteris Paribus.
Am I making myself clear please?
My reading and interpretation of Section 40 of the Employment and Labour Relations Act. Cap. 366 R.E. 2019 tells me that it was the intention of the Legislature to make it mandatory for any employee to be re-instated by the employer after a finding by a tribunal or court of law that the employee's termination was both substantively and procedurally unfair.
I am saying so because of the following scenarios:
Scenario One:
Re-instatement - The financial benefits payable to the re-instated employee are remuneration, as defined in the Act, for the whole period that the employee has been out of work.
Scenario Two:
For whatever reason that the employee has not been re-instated:
Reason one - the employer has refused to re-instate the employee
- Here the financial benefits that accrued to the employee are similar to those in scenario one above.
Reason two - the employee has decided not to continue with the employer.
- Here the financial benefits that accrue to the employee are restricted to not less than twelve months' compensation based on remuneration plus other statutory terminal benefits.
Consider the following:
1. In Scenario One the employee has been out of work for 50 months and is re-instated, the financial benefits will be calculated on the basis of 50 months. This will be similar to Scenario Two - Reason One.
2. In Scenario Two - Reason Two - the financial benefits that accrue to the employee will be based on the pleadings of the employee OR restricted to not less than 12 months' remuneration BUT not necessarily 50 months, a period during which the employee has been out of work.
Thus, in consideration 1 above the employee will benefit more unlike in consideration 2 where re-instatement is not opted for by the employee.
Can anyone assist to analyze the wording of the section and my analysis and advise please?
Since it was the intention of legislature for the employee to benefit the same way in both scenarios, it means it is unfair to restrict the compensation payable to the same employee, as explained above, when the employee is legally terminated by the court for reason that the employer chose not to re-instate OR the employee decided not to be re-instated.
If I were a judge, I would rule, in Scenario Two, that the compensation should be paid in addition to unpaid remuneration for a maximum of 50 months' remuneration to be fair with Scenario One Ceteris Paribus.
Am I making myself clear please?