The Labour Ministry says it will intensify monitoring of employers over requirements designed to protect workers’ end-of-service and gratuity payments.
The Ministry of Employment, Labour and Social Security has warned employers to comply with legal requirements governing workers’ end-of-service and gratuity benefits.
In a notice issued on Wednesday, the ministry reminded employers that Section 25 of the Employment Act 2023 requires them to establish separate bank accounts for end-of-service or gratuity benefits.
Employers are also required to submit an annual status report on the accounts to the Commissioner of Labour.
The law requires employers to follow prescribed arrangements for the accounts and prohibits withdrawals without prior written notice to the Commissioner of Labour.
The requirement has been in force since the Employment Act 2023 came into effect.
The Act also contains provisions on severance pay and end-of-service benefits, setting out circumstances in which qualifying workers can become entitled to such payments.
The latest notice does not introduce a new gratuity scheme but serves as a reminder of obligations already contained in the law.
It is not clear how widely the requirement has been implemented across Sierra Leone. The ministry has not publicly provided a national compliance figure showing how many employers have established the required accounts or submitted the annual reports.
The ministry’s warning therefore puts renewed focus on how the three-year-old legal requirement is being enforced and monitored.
Employers or responsible officers who fail to comply with Section 25 can face penalties under the Act, including a fine and imprisonment. The law also provides for further action against repeat offenders.
The ministry has urged employers to review their existing arrangements and comply with the requirements.
It says it will strengthen monitoring and enforcement to ensure workers’ end-of-service and gratuity benefits are protected.
