Dear Editor,
I note with interest Labour Minister Derrick Kellier's contribution to the 2013 Sectoral Debate wherein he made reference to the required amendment of, among other laws, the Women (Employment of) Act of 1942 to facilitate the coming into being of the long-promised flexi-work arrangement.
Interestingly, only last week I was doing some research and came across the Women Employment Act, which prohibits women from working between 10:00 pm and 5:00 am, except in a few limited circumstances.
This law restricting the employment of women, though not followed by many, is in need of instant repeal, as it serves not much, if any, useful purpose in today's society. Frankly, but for society's then primitive view of women, it was, in my view, equally not relevant in 1942.
Be that as it may, the long-proposed Occupational Health and Safety Act, for instance, could have provisions for, such as, the protection of pregnant women, especially when employed in certain industries. Women do not otherwise need any special protection, so provisions otherwise ought to be gender-neutral.
There are too many obsolete laws on our books that ought to be repealed or provisions thereof updated and incorporated into other laws as necessary, as they otherwise have no relevance to the modern Jamaican society. This ought to be the major focus of the law reform unit in the ministry of justice.
Understanding that budgetary and staff constraints may be of concern in that regard, law students at the Norman Manley Law School could be engaged to so assist, doing same as a clinical for which academic credits would be awarded. Retired lawyers could also lend their time and talent to expedite this process.
Kevin KO Sangster
sangstek@msn.com
Editor: previous submission, upon reflection, did not state what the Act at issue was specifically about; hence, this replacement.
Kevin K.O. Sangster, Esq.
Labour law primitive view of women
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I note with interest Labour Minister Derrick Kellier's contribution to the 2013 Sectoral Debate wherein he made reference to the required amendment of, among other laws, the Women (Employment of) Act of 1942 to facilitate the coming into being of the long-promised flexi-work arrangement.
Interestingly, only last week I was doing some research and came across the Women Employment Act, which prohibits women from working between 10:00 pm and 5:00 am, except in a few limited circumstances.
This law restricting the employment of women, though not followed by many, is in need of instant repeal, as it serves not much, if any, useful purpose in today's society. Frankly, but for society's then primitive view of women, it was, in my view, equally not relevant in 1942.
Be that as it may, the long-proposed Occupational Health and Safety Act, for instance, could have provisions for, such as, the protection of pregnant women, especially when employed in certain industries. Women do not otherwise need any special protection, so provisions otherwise ought to be gender-neutral.
There are too many obsolete laws on our books that ought to be repealed or provisions thereof updated and incorporated into other laws as necessary, as they otherwise have no relevance to the modern Jamaican society. This ought to be the major focus of the law reform unit in the ministry of justice.
Understanding that budgetary and staff constraints may be of concern in that regard, law students at the Norman Manley Law School could be engaged to so assist, doing same as a clinical for which academic credits would be awarded. Retired lawyers could also lend their time and talent to expedite this process.
Kevin KO Sangster
sangstek@msn.com
Editor: previous submission, upon reflection, did not state what the Act at issue was specifically about; hence, this replacement.
Kevin K.O. Sangster, Esq.
Labour law primitive view of women
-->