The Government has a key role to play in creating an enabling environment that fosters productivity, says Minister of Labour and Social Security, Hon. Pearnel Charles Jr. “We have a central role… in terms of listening to the private sector, listening across government, ensuring that we are creating the environment that is enabling and collaborative, and that we are doing...

Minister of Labour and Social Security, Hon. Pearnel Charles Jr. (second right), is presented with a gift by Ambassador of Japan to Jamaica, His Excellency Kohei Maruyama (second left) during a courtesy call at the Ministry’s 1F North Street offices in Kingston on July 1. Sharing in the moment (from left) are Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Dione Jennings, and...

Contributors to the National Insurance Scheme (NIS) are being encouraged to consistently check on their contribution records to ensure that employers are remitting the contributions. Speaking in an interview with JIS News, Director of the NIS, Ministry of Labour and Social Security, Portia Magnus, explained that there are some employers who are not compliant with the National Insurance Act. She...

Minister of Labour and Social Security, Hon. Pearnel Charles Jr., is urging persons with disabilities and their families to register with the Jamaica Council for Persons with Disabilities (JCPD), to access critical services, benefits and support available from the Government. Speaking at the first JCPD town hall meeting, held at Colonel Cove in Morant Bay, St. Thomas, on June 23,...

The House of Representatives approved the Minimum Wage (Industrial Security Guards) (Amendment) Order, 2026 and the National Minimum Wage (Amendment) Order, 2026, on Tuesday (June 23), thereby increasing the minimum wage from $16,000 to $17,000 per 40-hour work week, effective July 1, 2026. In his remarks, Minister of Labour and Social Security, Hon. Pearnel Charles Jr., said since its enactment...

The Jamaica Council for Persons with Disabilities (JCPD) aims to reach underserved communities in St. Thomas through its Townhall slated for Tuesday, June 23, 2026. To be held at Colonel's Cove in Morant Bay, St. Thomas, the event is expected to last from 10:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. The Council’s Executive Director, Dr. Christine Hendricks, in an interview with JIS...

Minister of Labour and Social Security, Hon. Pearnel Charles Jr., has emphasised that Jamaica’s resilience in the face of several recent climate-related shocks has elevated productivity from a mere economic theory to a pillar of national survival. He outlined the devastation of Hurricane Melissa that caused approximately $1.95 trillion in damage (more than 50 per cent of Jamaica’s gross domestic...