LUSAKA – (ILO News) President Edgar Lungu at the end of 2015 signed into law the amended Employment Act Cap 268 of the Laws of Zambia making casualization and unjustifiable termination of contracts of employment illegal.
Minister of Labour and Social Security, Mr Fackson Shamenda announced during a press briefing in Lusaka that the enactment of the amended Employment Act no. 15 of 2015 into law meant that it was now illegal for any employer to engage an employee on a casual basis for any job that was of a permanent nature.
He further stated that the amended employment act comes at a critical time for the Zambian people, the majority of whom have for a long time suffered exploitation and abuse of their rights through rampant casualization.
“The ultimate objectives of the law are to address the lack of employment security that characterized most employment relationships at the workplace and to eliminate gross abuse and exploitation of workers’ rights, and strengthen labour administration in Zambia in line with the decent work agenda.” He said.
He further stated that the amendment Act has taken into consideration the modern employment trends in line with changes in business cycles and further clarified the various employment relationships that exist in the country.
Meanwhile, THE Zambia Federation of Employers (ZFE) and Zambia Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) have welcomed the amendments to the Employment Act that bans casualization and unjustified termination of employment.
“The amendments to the Employment Act have come at the right time when many Zambians have been complaining about the unfair termination of employment and casualization.
“ZFE has no problem with this amendment to the Employment Act because it is meant to protect our people against casualization and unfair termination of employment” – ZFE Executive Director Harrington Chibanda.
In November 2015 Zambia hosted the ILO sub regional conference on the ratification of the forced labour protocol and President Lungu committed to champion the fight against forced labour, including trafficking in persons and slavery-like practices.
