Mozambique: New Labour Law penalises workplace harassment

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Mozambique: New Labour Law penalises workplace harassment

2:02 CAT | 04 Aug 2023

File photo: A Verdade

The Assembly of the Republic on Thursday approved a revision of the Labour Law which introduces innovations including provisions on harassment, mixed remuneration, alternative work schedule regimes and suspension of employment for reasons of force majeure.

Parliament approved the new Labour Law at the request of the government.

In its 11 chapters and 273 articles, there are 99 innovations, of which the provisions on harassment and its penalties stand out.

“When harassment is practised by the employer, hierarchical superior or representative, the law entitles the worker to a compensation worth 20 times the minimum wage in the sector of activity, notwithstanding judicial proceedings,” the revisions indicate.

Other innovations are the introduction of articles on abuse of disciplinary power, job intermediation and alternative work schedules.

Maternity leave rises from 60 to 90 days and paternity leave from one to seven days.

“The worker is entitled, in addition to normal vacation, to maternity leave of 90 consecutive days, which may begin 20 days before the probable date of childbirth,” it is stated. Men “have the right to a paternity leave of seven days, starting the day after the birth of the child”.

Minister of Labour Margarida Talapa noted that the old law was already out of date, not least because “the current stage of socio-economic development in our country requires a new legislative approach to labour relations. The Labour Law number 23/2007 of the 1st of August appears to be inappropriate taking into account the emergence in the national territory of new sectors of activity such as mining and oil, which do not allow the application of current working hours regimes”.

The approval of the revision was unanimous, with all three benches giving the document the green light.

Source: O País