Luanda - The Ministry of Public Administration, Labour and Social Security is to hold two seminars in Benguela province from Tuesday on the new General Labour Law, which comes into force on 26 March.
According to a note from the ministry that ANGOP had access to, the seminars are aimed at public and private employers, government bodies, trade unionists, as well as social partners and magistrates from the municipalities of Benguela and Lobito.
The two days activities are part of the project to disseminate and clarify the new General Labour Law, which is taking place throughout the country under the coordination of the Secretary of State for Labour and Social Security, Pedro Filipe.
The meetings will serve to point out effective ways of applying the new General Labour Law, as well as highlighting the main innovations and reform measures introduced, as well as encouraging and promoting compliance with the rules.
The seminar will cover topics such as "General Principles Governing the Legal-Labour Relationship", "Rights and Duties of the Employer and the Worker", "Special Contracts", "Labour Discipline", "Safety, Health and Hygiene at Work", "Accidents at Work and Occupational Diseases", "Remuneration", among others.
The law essentially aims to re-establish a set of rules that were repealed by Law no. 2/2000, of 11 February, in order to create a better balance in the defence of the interests of workers and employers and to strengthen harmony in labour relations.
The General Labour Law reintroduces the employment contract for an indefinite period as the rule and unequivocally assumes the employment contract as the only way of establishing legal-labour relations,
Among the new features of the document is the extension of maternity leave from three months to an optional four months.
It also includes the extension of disciplinary measures, the mobility of workers within the same group of companies and teleworking.
The law redefines special employment contracts, with a focus on teleworking and sports employment contracts, as well as introducing greater flexibility in the organisation and duration of work, with an emphasis on the student worker's working hours regime.
The law also makes it the responsibility of the social protection management body (INSS) to guarantee the payment of sickness or accident benefits for workers who fall into the incapacity regime, as well as clarifying the causes of unlawful dismissals and their consequences, and reconfiguring the criteria for determining compensation.
With the amendment of the section dedicated specifically to women workers, equality of gender is enshrined.
With the amendment of the section dedicated specifically to women workers, gender equality and non-discrimination are enshrined, with the introduction of supplementary maternity leave and social protection for dismissal for objective reasons.
It also highlights the introduction of personality rights in the proposal, especially freedom of expression and opinion, physical and moral integrity, privacy and protection of personal data.
The General Labour Law comprises 322 articles, 11 chapters, 46 sections, 25 subsections, 2 divisions and 5 subdivisions. LIN/ART/MRA/DOJ
