Margibi County’s district #1 Representative, Tibelrosa Summoh Tarponweh, has filed in a special communication to the House of Representatives calling for a review and amendments on “The Decent Work Bill Act, 2015”, which seeks to address issues affecting the livelihood of Liberians, especially those employed by concessions/companies operating in Liberia. He said the proposed amendments, if implemented, will improve the living standards of all Liberians.
Representative Tarponweh said the Decent Work Act of 2015, if properly examined, is replete with inconsistencies which, in part, does not satisfy retirees who aspire for better livelihood and self-esteem in retirement. “The inherent contradictions and inconsistencies often brew confusion and misunderstanding between employers and employees,” he said.
According to him, the decision by concessionaires not to honor their obligations to pay retirement pension benefits directly to their retirees, as clearly provided for in Chapter 22.2(a) i, ii of the DWA, has been a point of contention since 2019, as concessionaires continue to refer retirees to NASSCORP for payment of retirement pension benefits, contrary to their employment contracts.
The bill, which was read in plenary during a regular session, requests for the amendments of sections 22.1, 30.1b, 20.2a and 37.1 of chapters 22.30 and 37 of the Decent Work Bill Act (DWA) which, according to Representative Tarponweh, cannot be over-emphasized, as retirees and current employees of various concessions feel unprotected with the application of the DWA sections named supra.
He said it is important to note that section 22.1 of the DWA states, “This Chapter does not apply to an employer who is or who becomes: a) required to fulfill a comparable obligation under a pension scheme administered by the National Social Security and Welfare Corporation (NASSCORP); b) registered with NASSCORP; and c) compliant with their obligation under regulations relating to the pension scheme administered by NASSCORP.”
The lawmaker indicated that section 22.2 of the bill explicitly differs with section 22.1. He quoted section 22.2 as saying, “An employer shall pay a retirement pension to an employee that retires from employment: a) at the age of 60 if the employee has completed at least fifteen years of continuous service with the employer or b) at any age if the employee has completed a twenty-five year of continuous service with the employer.”
He argued that the provisions in section 22.2 spell out the responsibility of concessionaires relative to the payment of retirement pension benefits. “Honorable colleagues, interestingly, section 22.6 of the DWA also points out the ‘inalienability of right to payment of pension’ not to be ‘assigned, transferred, hypothecated, encumbered, commuted or anticipated; and is exempt from execution, garnishment and other process for the collection of indebtedness, provided that an employer may deduct sums of money lawfully owed to the employer by the employee’.”
Following the reading, a motion was passed by the plenary for the communication to be sent to the House Committee on Ways, Means and Finance to review and make subsequent recommendations during its next sitting.