March 5 holiday means big payday
Another official document was signed today, this one by Minister of Home Affairs Ralph Fonseca. Statutory Instrument number twenty-one of 2003 declares that March fifth will be observed as a public and bank holiday. While many countries make election day a national fiesta, this is the first time that Belize has gone that route. While taking the day off may make it easier for voters to reach the often far-flung polls, it also has some financial implications for workers and their bosses. Speaking today to labour officer Shawn Morgan, I discovered that people like me, who will spend election day–and night–hard at work, will be rewarded with a pretty decent paycheque.
Shawn Morgan, Labour Officer
“If it’s a scheduled workday for the persons, they will be paid, like I said, for the day’s wage, plus time and a half. If it’s not a scheduled workday and they are called upon to come in because of the public and bank holiday and the person’s in the journalism industry, then those persons would be paid time and a half in any case because it is a public and bank holiday. It is overtime work, so then they will be paid at time and a half.”
“For the person who makes for example thirty dollars per day. That person will be paid his thirty dollars for the public and bank holiday, and in addition would be paid forty-five dollars, which represents the time and a half.”
Janelle Chanona
“If I am on holiday on March fifth…”
Shawn Morgan
“That’s your scheduled day off?”
Janelle Chanona
“Yes, but the boss calls me in to come and work…”
Shawn Morgan
“You would be paid time and a half. So if we use the same example of thirty dollars a day, you would be paid forty-five dollars and you won’t be paid the thirty dollars because that wasn’t be a scheduled workday for you. It was your rest day.”
Janelle Chanona
“What if I’m a contract worker? If I am hired by somebody else?”
Shawn Morgan
“Then overtime does not necessarily apply because that person has the option whether they want to come in to do the work or not. It’s not mandatory. It’s not anything that maybe, they decide to come because they want to wrap up and finish whatever work they are doing or whatever reason, but those persons would not be affected by the overtime in any way.”
Janelle Chanona
“What about management, supervisors?”
Shawn Morgan
“There is a clause in the law which gives an exception for persons in supervisory or management field capacity to be exempted for the employer having to pay overtime. Now I believe that in like your industry where the person will be working probably twenty-four hours, it is management’s decision to be compassionate. I don’t think they’ll expect for persons to be working around the clock and not be compensated in some form or the other.”
Workers or employers who are still uncertain as to their status on March fifth should call their nearest office of the Labour Department.
