The Employment Relations Promulgation repeals six outdated pieces of labour legislations and replaces them with a modern legislation which promotes good faith, social dialogue and productivity improvement through decent work principles.

Interim Labour Minister Lek Ram Vayeshnoi revealed this addressing government heads and representatives at the 97th session of the International Labour Conference in Geneva.

Vayeshnoi said under this law, we see for the first time the prohibition of child labour, full paid maternity leave, and the introduction of the principles of equal employment opportunities to remove all forms of discrimination.

He added the new law recognizes sexual harassment as a special form of gender discrimination and there is a national policy on the “Prevention of Sexual Harassment in the Workplace” and Fiji's first “National Workplace Code of Practice on HIV and AIDS”.

Vayeshnoi said the new law was a result of very extensive and intensive social dialogue amongst tripartite social partners including the International Labour Organization (ILO), non government organizations (NGOs), various national and international agencies and the public over the last 10 years.