OVER the past few years (2020-2023), the Ministry of Labour recouped an impressive $160,425,575 million owed to employees for overdue wages, yearly leave, notice, overtime payments, and severance benefits.

This year, the Labour Ministry collected $69 million, a remarkable 42 per cent increase from 2022, when it recovered $40 million, $38.2 million in 2021, and $13.2 million in 2020.

During the ministry’s press conference Tuesday, Joseph Hamilton, Minister of Labour, remarked that the ministry’s efforts in recovering payments owing to employees demonstrates the government’s commitment to defending workers’ rights, as promised since taking office in 2020.

He explained that for 2023, the ministry received 912 complaints from employees ranging from termination benefits, annual leave, unlawful salary deductions, and overtime payments, among other things.

Eighty-five per cent of the complaints were handled, with the remaining 15 percent expected to be resolved during the first quarter of 2024.

Minister Hamilton stated that while the ministry acknowledges a considerable number of complaints from private security staff, it has been able to reduce such complaints through seminars and other means.