KINGSTON, Jamaica – The Jamaica government says that for the first time, household helpers and fisherfolk will be able to secure pension benefits under the National Insurance Scheme (NIS) as it moves to formalize these sectors.
Photo courtesy of Glad Helpers.The authorities said that this be facilitated under the Transition to Formality Action Plan, resulting in these categories of workers being able to access health and life insurance, pension and other facilities to provide them with security and protection in their work environment.
The Action Plan, which was officially launched late last month, is in keeping with the International Labour Organization’s (ILO) recommendation to member states to standardize informal sectors. It follows the growing trend in many developing countries where workers are employed in industries that are unregistered or do not comply with the minimum standards of labor legislation or in some cases Decent Work. The ILO defines Decent Work as productive work for women and men in conditions of freedom, equity, security and human dignity.
Jamaica’s national action plan, which is a tripartite collaboration among the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, the Jamaica Confederation of Trade Unions (JCTU) and the Jamaica Employers’ Federation (JEF), seeks to encourage micro, small and medium-sized, as well as large entities to embrace systems that make the process of transitioning to formality seamless.
The project’s development goals are to reduce the informality in work and workers engaged in the domestic, agricultural and fishing industries in the first instance. It also seeks to increase the formalization of agricultural and fishing business units and increase the institutional capacity of employers and organizations representing these industries.
Labour and Social Security, Karl Samuda said the launch of the project is “significant, impactful and timely” as the government works to improve the welfare of workers in informal sectors.
“Domestic helpers are integral to the households in which they are employed, yet their work is often undervalued, poorly regulated and not protected. Similarly, our fisherfolk have been challenged, and it’s compounded by high levels of informal employment,” he said.
Samuda said he was particularly heartened that formalization of operators in Jamaica’s fisheries sector, which involves “long hours and strenuous activity in extremely challenging marine environments”, will provide approximately 100 farmers and fisherfolk with capacity training support to facilitate the transition from micro to small and medium-sized enterprises.
He said the government recognizes that access to health and life insurance and other facilities to ensure personal protection is limited in these sectors “and we must act now to protect them from suffering the indignity of servitude.
“We take the Decent Work agenda very seriously and are committed to doing whatever is necessary to bring dignity to the world of the informal sector, as we make every effort to get them into the formal sector to reap the benefits of their labor,” he said.
Samuda further noted that the project, through the Ministry’s Social Intervention Project (SIP) will also provide 50 female household workers with financial and non-financial support for entrepreneurial activities for improved security as incentives towards formalization.
“Basic training will accompany the provision of the grant. This underlines the importance of training to achieving success,” he said.
He also thanked the ILO for its contribution of US$500,000, which he noted has greatly assisted the Ministry to acquire the equipment necessary to achieve some of its objectives.
