Committee recommends to fine businesses mistreating employees

The Parliament’s Committee on Economic Affairs has proposed to fine companies and businesses who obtain the government’s economic relief packages if they mistreat their employees.

The economic relief packages were rolled out to assist businesses suffering from the negative economic impact of COVID-19. The government has designated MVR 2.5 billion as part of these packages.

A report formed by the Parliament’s Committee on Economic Affairs regarding the view of the parliament on the implementation of the government programs to overcome the situation with the virus has been published.

In that report, it was proposed to monitor the businesses and their activities through the job center portal after the businesses obtain the economic relief packages. The funds allocated for the businesses were recommended to not be released as a single payment and to deduct a portion of the funds as a fine if the businesses mistreat their employees.

The purpose of the recommendations was to ensure that the packages are used to bring benefits to the economy, assist small and medium-sized businesses to overcome the economic situation, strengthen the education system and community well-being. The recommendations were also made to implement government programs most efficiently and to help the citizens of the country to reduce their hardships.

There have been a number of reports regarding employee dismissals, wage cuts, and mandatory no-pay leaves imposed upon employees as businesses in the country struggle to cope with the effects of the virus. The job center portal has so far received around 1300 such complaints.