The government of Jamaica through the combined efforts of the Ministries of Labour and Social Security, Local Government and Foreign Affairs & Foreign Trade, has been engaged in evacuating Jamaicans living in the Caribbean and the British Virgin Islands, who were affected by the recent Hurricanes. To date approximately 100 Jamaicans were brought home. On Sunday September 24, 2017, in...

The Government has commenced distribution of its $35 million relief grant to  households which were affected by the recent flooding. Minister of Labour and Social Security, Hon. Shahine Robinson and a team from the Ministry, along with local political representatives delivered cheques to 30 persons in the parish of St. Catherine on July 21. Speaking at the ceremony, held at...

It has been proposed that employers be given a two-month period to review their budgets before the agreed adjustment to the national minimum wage for this year takes effect. This recommendation comes from Chairman of the Minimum Wage Advisory Commission, Silvera Castro, who said employers would need adequate time to make their own adjustments to “assist the process”. Mr. Silvera was...

Minister of Labour and Social Security, Hon. Shahine Robinson, says transformation of the labour market is crucial for the Government’s economic growth programme. She said the reform process seeks to achieve greater levels of efficiency, equity, growth, social justice, full and satisfying employment as well as high levels of production and productivity. Delivering the keynote address at the End-of-Project Forum...

Residents of Portland turned out on July 4 to give their views on the minimum wage, at a regional consultation held at Hotel Tim Bamboo, in the parish. Several of them proposed that the national minimum wage should be increased to $8,000 per 40-hour week, and the wage for industrial security guards should be moved to $10,000 per 40-hour week....

The Ministry of Labour  and Social Security is advising that no recruitment for  the Overseas Employment Programme will begin on June 26. Instead,  the Ministry will begin the pre-selection of persons who already submitted farm work applications in May. The programme provides opportunities for hundreds of Jamaicans on Canadian and American farms yearly. Recruitment for the programme is done based...

The Ministry of Labour  and Social Security is advising that no recruitment for  the Overseas Employment Programme will begin on June 26. Instead,  the Ministry will begin the preselection of persons who already submitted farm work applications in May. The programme provides opportunities for hundreds of Jamaicans on Canadian and American farms yearly. Recruitment for the programme is done based...

Steady gains have been made in tackling child labour in Jamaica by the Child Labour Unit in the Ministry of Labour and Social Security and other State agencies with a special focus on children. Since Jamaica signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the International Labour Organization (ILO) in 2000, significant work has been done in addressing the issue. Director of...

Pre-selection for the Overseas Employment Programme, administered by the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, will be held between June 26 and July 17. This programme provides opportunities for hundreds of Jamaicans on Canadian and American farms yearly. Recruitment for the programme is done based on the needs of employers. The last recruitment was done in 2015 and resulted in...