Preserving Decent Work in Jamaica:National response to the COVID-19 Pandemic

Jamaica: COVID-19 StatusConfirmed Cases - 58Recovered Cases - 8Deaths - 3*

*persons had underlying medical conditions

First Case confirmed – March 10, 2020 (visitor from the United Kingdom). 30 Imported Cases, and 20 Import-related cases. Local transmission monitored.Source: Ministry of Health and Wellness – April 5, 2020

COVID-19 Pandemic: Preserving Decent Work in Jamaica •Workplace Safety and Health •Productivity•Fair Income• Job Security•Social Protection•Gender Equity•Social Dialogue

COVID-19 Pandemic: Preserving Decent Work in Jamaica Preliminary Activities (Internal Preparation)• MLSS participation in national disaster planning (led by Prime

Minister)

• Social Dialogue (Tripartite Labour Advisory Committee) consensus on public messaging

• Internal Ministry safety and health audit and implementation of new sanitation protocols

• General Staff sensitization led by Permanent Secretaries and Department/ Unit level preparation (Safety and remote working protocols)

COVID-19 Pandemic: Preserving Decent Work in Jamaica

Workplace Safety and Health

MLSS/ Ministry of Health and Wellness joint action. Public education campaigns to prevent workplace spread

Evasive Action (Week 1)

MLSS Public Service

Advisories(Employers

and Workers)MHW

Ongoing Press

Briefings on testing & new cases

Social Distancing

and Sanitization messaging

Workplace treated as priority- one of the most important spaces for public gathering.

COVID-19 Pandemic: Preserving Decent Work in Jamaica

Workplace Safety and Health

Evasive Action (Week 1)

MLSS Public service Advisories

(Employers and Workers)

• All employers and workers must complywith MHW guidelines in respect ofCOVID-19

• Workers who are ill or are required to bequarantined must stay away from theworkplace

• Employers to provide the required sickleave and time for quarantine with pay asfar as possible, even above law

• Employers and workers encouraged toexplore work from home and othercreative and innovative possibilities

COVID-19 Pandemic: CHALLENGES• Labour legislation not specific to

pandemic conditions

• Employers and workers concernedabout economic fall-out/ job security

• Public Behaviour change, workersand clients compliance with socialdistancing

AFFIRMATIVE ACTION• Disaster Risk Management Act used for

national response. No specific work-from-home guidelines/ law

• Employers and workers encouraged toexercise flexibility including work-from-home, staff rotation, reduction in hours,review of tasks, remote client services toaddress income and job security concerns

• Public messaging encouraging non-discrimination of persons presenting withsimilar symptoms (clients and workers).Social responsibility of employers toprovide for safety of clients and workers

COVID-19 Pandemic: Preserving Decent Work in Jamaica

Safety and Health, Productivity, Job Security and Social Protection

Office of the Prime Minister and Ministry of Health and Wellness led interventions.

Evasive Action (Week 2)1. Non-essential workers encouraged to work from

home as far as practicable. 2. Expanded definition of essential workers include

supermarkets, gas stations (Disaster RiskManagement Act)

3. Labour intensive industries experience significant downturn in business from overseas US, UK, Canada and Europe (hotels, attractions, transport)

4. Focus on PPEs for key workers including health workers, ports of entry, police officers

5. Community quarantine in Bull Bay (affects business and workers living in that community)

6. All island school closure and restrictions for public passenger vehicles (presents challenges for attendance at work)

7. Mandatory quarantine of all international travellers (workers returning from int’l travel are either absent from work or forced to work-from-home)

COVID-19 Pandemic:Preserving DecentWork in Jamaica

Safety and Health,Productivity, JobSecurity and Social

Protection

Office of the PrimeMinister and Ministryof Health and Wellnessled interventions.

Evasive Action (Week 3)1. Lay-offs commenced in large labour intensive organizations

(approx. 5000 persons laid off). MLSS encourages BPOs,manufacturing, retail sectors and SMEs to explore creativeand innovative ways to continue producing/ offering services.

2. Own account workers experience low/ no business (barbers,hairdressers, domestic workers). Informal sector hard hit(including small restaurants, unregistered transportoperators, retailers)

3. Social Protection services provided to quarantinedcommunities Bull Bay and Corn Piece, sanitation and foodpackages provided (4000+ beneficiaries). Elderly, disabled,children from vulnerable families provided with carepackages. Incentive provided to low income and key workers.

4. Strengthened border control and gradual flight restrictions(some worker had difficulty returning to work given flightand 14 day quarantine)

5. Minister of Finance announces $10 B financial stimuluspackage for employers affected by COVID-19, laid of worker,and expanded social assistance for the needy, MLSSparticipation required

COVID-19 Pandemic: Preserving Decent Work in Jamaica

Safety and Health, Productivity, Job Security and Social Protection

Office of the Prime Minister and Ministry of Health and Wellness led interventions.

Evasive Action (Week 4)1. Employers revolutionizing business processes using

technology. Other non-core business opportunitiesexplored. J. Wray and Nephew rums also making line ofsanitizers.

2. SME’s giving to the national effort, manufacturing masksetcConducting client facing services by appointment toobserve the Disaster Risk Management limitation ongatherings (10 persons)

3. MLSS modified business process by use of technology(employers, workers and representatives access labourservices electronically through email, websites, regularoffice telephones, CUGs, hotlines and WhatsAppconnections)

4. Dispute resolution meetings by telephone and apps including ZOOM and Teams

5. New MLSS and Ministry of Health approved protocols implemented in industries including BPOs (temperature checks and sanitation requirements)

COVID-19 Pandemic: Preserving Decent Work in Jamaica Required research:1. Impact on youth employment, rural workers

and women2. Implication for job descriptions and original

employment contract (many companies haveexperienced greater efficiency)

3. Legislative strengthening for continuation offlexible work arrangements, handlingpandemics and general safety and health in theworkplace

COVID-19 Pandemic: Preserving Decent Work in Jamaica Required research:4. National and regional economic recovery

strategies

5. Social and psychological impact on employers, workers and their families

COVID-19 Pandemic: Preserving Decent Work in Jamaica Required research:6. Impact of national curfew and other restrictions on

operation of businesses including pubs, night clubs,and attractions

7. Impact on migrant work programmes (H2A, H2B andJ1) with the United States Canada and GuantanamoBay, Cuba

8. Impact of the Spending Stimulus programme on ownaccount workers including domestic workers and otherpersons operating in the informal sector

Social Protection

Registered Businesses and Tax Compliant individuals

SET CASH

BEST CASH

SMALL BUSINESS

GRANT

TOURISM GRANTS

Social Assistance

Stimulus for Businesses transitioned to Formal Sector by April 30, 2020

GENERAL GRANT

Social AssistanceSupport for informal sector, unemployed and other vulnerable groups:

• Compassionate Grants

• PATH Grants

• Student Loan Relief

• Ministry direct assistance for small farmers, elderly, homeless, and other vulnerable groups

The future of work in Jamaica is no longer a distant phenomenon but is now our reality.

COVID-19 has hasten movement the to cash-less transactions, remote working, artificial intelligence,

changes in business processes, increased focus on safety and health in the workplace and greater efficiency in service delivery and production of

goods.

We are experiencing a new age and will be required to play catch-up with labour standards

THE ENDTHANK YOU