Cabinet nod to amend law to allow night work for women

10 August 2022 06:02 am Views - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}} 9 Bookmark

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The Cabinet nod has been granted to amend Shop and Office Employees (Regulation of Employment and Remuneration) Act No.19 of 1954, to remove the archaic restrictive legal provisions on night work for women.

Labour and Foreign Employment Minister Manusha Nanayakkara on Monday sought the approval of the Cabinet of Ministers to take the necessary steps to amend the said act, considering the requests from various service sector industries that generate foreign exchange.

According to the current provisions of the act, women are only allowed to be employed after 6:00 p.m. in a limited number of employments. In particular, the service-export-related industries are struggling to employ females, due to the current restrictive nature.

“Many business institutions such as knowledge process outsourcing institutions, business process outsourcing institutions, back office and ICT-enabling services have emerged in the country around major cities.

Therefore, it has been identified that the existing restrictive legal provisions on night work of women should be amended,” the Government Information Department said. Sri Lanka’s female labour participation has been hovering around 30 percent, which has been partly due to the existing archaic laws.

Comments - 9

Sunil Wednesday, 10 August 2022 08:25 AM

Will the family life get affected. I still see so many women working after 6 pm st airport hotels hospitals shops etc . So is there no monitoring of existing laws ?

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Lala Wednesday, 10 August 2022 08:37 AM

POLICE HAVE MORE DUTY. POLITICIANS VERY HAPPY. POLITICIANS WIFE SAD. PARLIAMENT SESSIONS WILL START NIGHT SHIFT TOO

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johan Wednesday, 10 August 2022 08:57 AM

Already most of the women are doing night work due to poverty created by the Govt.

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Nanaprakara Wednesday, 10 August 2022 09:24 AM

Manusha working hard and looking for new ideas to hit headlines !

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Gunadasa Wednesday, 10 August 2022 09:47 AM

Good decision. Women are are safer at work places than out side streets at night. Only those who accept night shifts will work at night

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anura hettiarachchi Wednesday, 10 August 2022 09:48 AM

Your inability to make social justice now try to get the best from the poor families

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Punchi Wednesday, 10 August 2022 10:43 AM

Women from our paradise are already engaging in night work in the Middle East, on their days off in Serangon Road in Singapore and elsewhere. I was seated next to a Lebanese on a flight who waxed lyrical on the night work of our damsels in his also failed country. It is long delayed to prevent this in our most blessed paradise

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Martin Milton Wednesday, 10 August 2022 06:27 PM

This is good. However the less than knowledgeable people in present Parliament / Cabinet should make certain that the ladies are provided with adequate security during these periods. This is essential. it should be made mandatory. MM

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Safe society Wednesday, 10 August 2022 06:31 PM

Only night work should be for work like nurse and doctor - hospital or medical situations only. All other night work in office environment or factory will only lead to more social issues. The MP just wants dollars while causing our society to denigrate. Why not allow for women to earn during Poya, it only happens once a month - no that's bad, then how about the corruption these short sighted parliamentarians want to put on us like this encourage women work night for dollar. Maha Sanga should speak against this wrongness.

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