The work of the Impact of Bills and Subordinate Legislation Committee continues……..

The Committee comprising Mr Michael King MLA (Chairman), Mrs Melissa Ward and Mr Lisle Snell (alternate member) is currently considering the Employment (Amendment) Bill 2010 which was referred to the Committee by the House on 23 July 2010. Further public inquiries have been scheduled for 7 and 28 September 2010 and members of the public who would wish to speak with the Committee should contact the Committee Secretary Mrs Yvon Adams on 22003 or by email to yvonadams@assembly.gov.nf.

When a Bill is introduced into the Assembly it is usually accompanied by an explanatory memorandum. The explanatory memorandum to the Employment (Amendment) Bill 2010 reads -

“The purpose of this Bill is to address issues concerning the application of the legislation and the administration of claims.

The Bill adopts the approach of other jurisdictions in the Commonwealth in seeking to avoid claims of work-related stress arising from normal employment processes. In providing for this the Bill includes several new definitions including that of what constitutes an “injury”. This definition excludes from the definition of injury that which results from reasonable administrative action taken in a reasonable manner in respect of the employee’s employment. This reasonable administrative action is in turn defined to relate to reasonable action taken in the workplace by or on behalf of an employer.

The Bill also seeks to make the administrative process clear by vesting responsibility in the Employment Liaison Officer (ELO) who is to have the day to day management and control of the investigation and determination of claims. While the ELO is subject to direction by the Chief Executive Officer and the executive member, the ELO cannot be directed by either in matters that affect employees of the Administration, public sector agencies or territory instrumentalities.”.

Copies of the Bill and/or the Explanatory Memorandum can be obtained from the Committee Secretary or accessed on www.info.gov.nf under Legislative Assembly/Bills introduced awaiting passage.

The House will next meet on Wednesday 22 September 2010 at 10 am.

Issued from the Office of the Speaker on 3 September 2010 and posted on the blog site http://yourparliamentyourvoice.blogspot.com/