PARLIAMENT

The Workmen's Compensation (Amendment) Bill to increase the benefits to employees, who are affected by accidents while on the job, received the approval of the Ministerial Consultative Committee on Labour recently to be tabled in Parliament for the Second Reading.

The Committee was chaired by Hon. Nimal Siripala de Silva, Minister of Labour and Hon. Piyankara Jayaratne, State Minister. Hon. Maithripala Sirisena, Member of Parliament and former President, Hon. John Seneviratne, Hon. Chamara Sampath Dasanayake, Hon. Shantha Bandara, Hon. (Dr.) Gayashan Nawananda, Members of Parliament were present at this meeting.

The maximum amount of Rs. 550,000 paid in the event of death or total disability of employees affected by accidents while on the job as compensation currently, has been raised up to Rs. 2 million through this.

The officials also pointed out that the provisions which only facilitate compensation for on-the-job situations can now be widely interpreted to also facilitate situations during the arrival and departure from work. Furthermore, several amendments will be made under this, including increasing the surcharges levied on late payment of compensation from 10% to 30%.

Several annual reports of the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment and the Employees Provident Fund were also taken for review.

Mr. Mapa Pathirana, Secretary to the Ministry of Labour and other government officials of the institutions under the Ministry were also present at this occasion.