23
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 1985
+ IT IS PROPOSED, AS IN THE CASE OF SEVERANCE PAY, THAT THE AMOUNT OF THE PAYMENT SHOULD BE TWO-THIRDS OF A MONTH'S WAGE FOR EACH YEAR OF SERVICE, UP TO A MAXIMUM OF 12 MONTHS' WAGES.
+ IT IS PROPOSED THAT A PAYMENT THUS CALCULATED WILL BE REDUCED BY A QUARTER IN THE CASE OF AN EMPLOYEE AGED 36 OR MORE BUT LESS THAN 40, AND BY A HALF IN THE CASE OF AN EMPLOYEE AGED LESS THAN 36.
+SUCH EMPLOYEES BEING IN THEIR PRIME OF LIFE SHOULD HAVE LITTLE DIFFICULTY IN FINDING ALTERNATIVE EMPLOYMENT AND THEREFORE HAVE LITTLE REAL NEED OF THE PROTECTION AFFORDED BY THIS BILL,+ HE SAID.
MR HENDERSON SAID THE EMPLOYER WOULD BE REQUIRED TO MAKE THE LONG SERVICE PAYMENT, TOGETHER WITH OTHER SUMS DUE SUCH AS ARREARS OF WAGES OR WAGES IN LIEU OF NOTICE, AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AFTER AN EMPLOYEE'S CONTRACT OF EMPLOYMENT WAS TERMINATED BY HIM, AND IN ANY CASE NOT LATER THAN SEVEN DAYS AFTER THE DATE OF TERMINATION, AND MUST GIVE HIM A WRITTEN STATEMENT INDICATING HOW THE AMOUNT HAD BEEN CALCULATED.
HE SAID THAT LIKE ANY OTHER PIECE OF SOCIAL LEGISLATION INVOLVING THE INTERESTS OF BOTH EMPLOYERS AND EMPLOYEES, THE LONG SERVICE PAYMENT SCHEME REPRESENTED A WORKABLE COMPRISE BETWEEN WHAT WAS DESIRABLE AND WAS PRACTICABLE.
+THE SCHEME HAS TO BE BOTH ACCEPTABLE TO EMPLOYEES AND AT THE SAME TIME AFFORDABLE TO EMPLOYERS AT LARGE.
+THE PRESENT PROPOSALS ARE THE RESULT OF A PROLONGED DISCUSSION BETWEEN REPRESENTATIVES OF BOTH EMPLOYERS AND EMPLOYEES IN THE LABOUR ADVISORY BOARD AND ARE ACCEPTABLE TO BOTH SIDES,+ HE SAID.
ALSO INTRODUCED INTO THE COUNCIL WERE THE COMPANIES (AMENDMENT) (NO. 2) BILL 1985 AND THE BANKRUPTCY (AMENDMENT) (NO. 2) BILL 1985 WHICH WERE CONSEQUENTIAL AMENDMENTS TO ACCORD LONG SERVICE PAYMENT THE SAME PREFERENTIAL STATUS AS SEVERANCE PAYMENT IN THE EVENT OF A WIND ING-UP OR A BANKRUPTCY.
DEBATES ON THE BILLS WERE ADJOURNED.
/24