THE Ministry of Labour is currently hosting seminars every Wednesday, in its Brickdam, Georgetown, boardroom, to educate both public and private sector employers and employees about the recently implemented five-day, 40-hour work week regulation and the new minimum wage order.

Chief Labour Officer, Mr. Charles Ogle, who made the disclosure in a telephone interview, told the Guyana Chronicle that while there are complaints from persons about the non-compliance with these innovations, they are being adequately addressed by the ministry.
He said not only do persons visit the ministry but some of its personnel also pay visits to various entities to ensure that employers comply with the systems which became effective last July 1. If it is found that they are not, they are ordered to do so.
Ogle pointed out that the ministry does not place emphasis on whether persons are employed in the public or private sectors, since it is concerned about workers in general.
As it relates to the new minimum wage, he said most employers pay above that which was increased to $35,000 monthly.
Under the new arrangement, every worker should be required to work 40 hours over a five-day period each week and paid overtime rates for any additional hours.
He explained that this initiative is not a new one, as Guyana had, since 1986, moved to have a five-day work week but, at that time, the regulation applied only to public/government entities.
However, the just introduced one applies to every worker in each of the 10 Administrative Regions of the country, including media workers and the Private Sector, and failure to comply with it can result in penalties being applied.
Ogle said, so far, no employer has been subjected to penalties as a result of non-compliance.