The Ministry of Employment has disclosed that it addressed 48 complaints from injured workers regarding the non-payment of two-thirds of their weekly wages during the last financial year. Employment Minister Agni Deo Singh presented this information in Parliament, noting that 44 of these cases were resolved through various engagements with employers and joint meetings, while four complaints remain under legal review by the Office of the Solicitor-General.
Highlighting the need to connect compensation to enforcement measures, Mr. Singh emphasized that this approach encourages accountability among employers and educational institutions. He also shed light on the considerable financial advantages gained from transferring the processing of employment and school accident cases back to the ministry, a change that has saved the government around $1.2 million yearly by discontinuing outsourcing to third-party providers.
“The entire processing is now managed by my ministry, which has a team of experienced staff who were previously with the Accident Compensation Commission Fiji (ACCF),” Mr. Singh commented, indicating a move toward a more efficient management of these claims.
In earlier discussions, Minister Singh had projected that the government would save approximately $1.8 million annually as part of the move to reintegrate these functions within the Ministry of Employment. This decision aims to tackle a significant backlog of cases while enhancing the speed and efficiency of resolving employment and school accident claims.
Additionally, the ministry’s mediation service has reportedly resolved 80 percent of employment disputes over the past 18 months, showcasing the government’s strong commitment to improving the compensation process. This success signifies a promise to develop a more equitable and efficient system for both injured workers and employers.
These continuous efforts are directed towards establishing a robust compensation framework that provides better support for workers and encourages compliance from employers. The Ministry of Employment aims to promote enhanced worker welfare and potentially inspire similar reforms in other sectors, contributing to a safer and fairer work environment in the region.