BY Pamodi WaravitaThe Department of Labour has announced that it will be amending the Employment of Women, Young Persons, and Children Act No. 47 of 1956 as amended in order to make the employment of minors, or any person below the age of 18 years, in domestic service a punishable offence. “As per the currently existing provisions in the said Act, any person under 16 years of age is prohibited to be employed in any employment. This amendment would be made by increasing the number of forms of hazardous jobs to 71 from the current 51 forms. In January of this year, the minimum age of employment in the country was increased from 14 years of age to 16 years.

Source: The Nation July 27, 2021 17:26 UTC