District Labour Officer

District Labour Officer

Duties of a District labour officer

One of the functions of the District Labour Officer is to restrict and monitor the employment of children. The Labour Officer does this by:

1. Notifying an employer who is found employing a child in dangerous and unsuitable work to discontinue that employment.
2. Ensuring that the list of hazardous work not permitted for employment of a child is displayed by all employers at their premises.
3. Preparing a quarterly report on employment of children and young persons and submitting it to the Commissioner for labour and give a copy to the Chief Administrative Officer of the district.

Note: A person who obstructs a labour officer in the exercise of the power conferred on them in this respect commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding UGX. 120,000 or imprisonment not exceeding three months or both.

Settlement of complaints of child labour by a District labour officer

A complaint concerning employment of a child in dangerous, exploitative and harmful work shall be lodged with the labour officer. The settlement of the complaint follows the procedure below:

Procedure for receiving of complaints of child labour by the labour officer

• Every complaint lodged with the labour officer shall be registered in a register for complaints by the labour officer.
• Upon receipt of the complaint, the labour officer shall notify the respondent/ employer in written form of the complaint against him or her advising them to settle the matter within themselves if possible and if not, to forward their comments to the labour officer about the complaints raised.
• If there’s an agreement to settle the matter, between the complainant and the respondent/ employer, it shall be in a form called a complaint settlement payment certificate provided by the labour officer.
• Where the labour officer does not receive a response to the complaint within fourteen days, he or she shall issue a reminder to the respondent/ employer in written form.

Procedure to be followed by a labour officer during hearings

• Upon receipt of a response from the employer/ respondent to the dispute, the labour officer shall within fourteen days after receipt of the response, summon the parties in question for a reconciliation meeting, facilitate discussions, guide parties on matters concerning relevant laws and try to settle the matter.
• Where the parties fail to come to a compromise, the labour officer shall summon witnesses or require the production of documents relating to the complaint and may propose solutions to the complaint.
• Upon completion of the hearing proceedings, the labour officer shall make an order that is binding on both parties and state the reasons for his or her decisions on the complaint.
• The order shall be complied with by either party within seven days from the date the order was made.
• Where the order given is not complied with, the complaint shall be referred to the Commissioner.
• Upon receipt of the complaint, the Commissioner shall within fourteen days review and resolve the matter and where the matter is not resolved the Commissioner shall refer it to the Industrial Court.

Note: The labour officer shall presume the complaint settled if the complainant fails to appear within seven days, without reasonable excuse, from the date of the conciliation meeting.

Appeal to the Industrial Court

An appeal from the decisions of a labour officer concerning employment of a child in unsuitable, harmful or exploitative work can be lodged with to the Industrial Court. The appeal shall be made in the form specified by the law. The court may confirm, modify or reverse any decision from which an appeal is made.