The Belize government says it has established a Labor Complaints Tribunal for the first time in the history of the country.
The Ministry of Rural Transformation, Community Development, Labor, and Local Government said the tribunal was appointed by Labor Minister, Oscar Requena, in accordance with the Labor Act.
According to the legislation, “A Labor Complaints Tribunal shall be established for the purpose of providing a fair and impartial appeal process arising from complaints of unfair dismissal or wrongful termination.”
The ministry said the first decision of the tribunal was handed down last week. The tribunal consists of five members, including a person nominated by the chief justice, another nominated by the Belize Chamber of Commerce and Industry, a representative of workers nominated by the National Trade Union Congress of Belize, and a member nominated by the minister of labor.
The Commissioner of Labor is an ex-officio member.
“The Ministry of Labor is committed to the proper and lawful management of the labor market by ensuring that the rights of workers and employers are fully protected under law. Workers who wish to bring a case before the tribunal can contact any district labor office,” the ministry said in a statement.
CMC/
