CHARLESTOWN, Nevis – AVERIL WILLIAMS, Chief Labour Officer on Nevis, has confirmed that 622 employees have been laid off from the Four Seasons Resort.
Williams also revealed that 194 hourly workers and all managers were retained by the Resort which closed its doors as a result of damage caused by Hurricane Omar in October 2008.
Speaking with SKNVibes, Williams commended the Resort’s management for ensuring a smooth lay-off process. She said this probably came from the fact that the management appreciated the commitment of the workers over the years. She explained that the Resort’s representatives expressed gratitude during consultations and felt they should do their best to make the transition as seamless as possible.
As a result, Williams believes Nevisian should commend the Resort’s management for being professional and sensitive in the way they handled employees since October 15. She said the Resort kept the employees on for five months and offered them a 40-hour work week. She also explained that employees had continued to get service charge at the budgeted rate.
According to the Chief Labour Officer, Four Seasons met all the legal requirements pertaining to lay-offs and went a step further by giving the employees a goodwill gesture of $US1 000 each. The goodwill gesture was made irrespective of employees’ tenure, but the lay-off and termination pay vary according to employees’ salaries and wages.
According to the Protection of Employment Act 1986 as amended in 2001, an employee who worked for three months or more but less than one year continuous service gets one week’s pay as notice pay. An employee who has worked for one year but less than three years continuous service gets two weeks, while one who has worked for more than five years but less than seven years in continuous service gets four weeks pay.
Anyone who worked for seven years but less than 10 gets five weeks and an employee who has worked for 10 years but less than 15 gets six weeks of the wages. An employee with 15 years and over gets 10 weeks’ pay.
Williams said that those laid off would receive their lay-off benefit package next week and noted that those who had not utilised their vacations would be paid their holiday pay shortly.
According to Williams, employees should be able to claim their severance pay within 12 weeks. She said this would be handled by the Federal Labour Commissioner.
Williams revealed that Premier and Minister of Labour, the Hon. Joseph Parry has expressed a deep interest in the workers’ welfare and has asked that her office does everything possible to find jobs and provide guidance for them.
She is however optimistic that should the laid-off employees manage their money properly, they should be able cope between now and the time the Resort reopens.
The Chief Labour Officer called on them to be positive. She said some may find it exciting to have time to be with their family members, to establish home gardens and to volunteer in homework programmes and other community-based activities.
She was confident that social and spiritual life would improve since the employees would have lighter work schedules between now and the time the Resort reopens. The Four Seasons is projected to be back in operation by December.
Williams also encouraged those laid off not to be selective should they find any job opportunities. She said all jobs were noble, once done honestly with a positive attitude.
