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Employment Service Convention, 1948 (No. 88) - Belize (RATIFICATION: 1983)

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Articles 1 and 3 of the Convention. Contribution of the employment service to employment promotion. The Committee welcomes the detailed information provided by the Government in its report. It notes the Government’s indication that the Labour Department provides public employment services throughout the country via the Public Employment Service Unit (PES). The Government adds that the PES has ten offices distributed among three regions, with each region being supervised by a senior labour officer. The Committee takes particular note of the information provided by the Government regarding the activities carried out by the PES during the reporting period with a view to promoting employment. In this regard, the Government reports that, on 15 March 2021, the Labour Department launched the online employment service system, which enables employers and jobseekers to register with the PES online. Through the new system, the PES can more easily choose qualified jobseekers from the online database to fill different vacancies notified by employer. Moreover, the Government indicates that skill trainings on customer service, work ethics and the provisions of the Labour Act were provided by the PES to workers at the request of their employers. In addition, between 2015 and mid-2021, job-preparedness training was provided to 610 jobseekers with the aim of improving their employability. The Government reports that, during the same period, 2,462 jobseekers, 2,698 companies and 1,397 vacancies were registered with the PES, adding that 578 of the registered vacancies were filled. Lastly, the Government indicates that the Labour Advisory Board has initiated discussions with the ILO and the World Bank (WB) regarding its request for provision of assistance and guidance on the development of a national employment policy. The Committee requests the Government to continue to provide detailed updated information on the nature, scope and impact of the activities carried out by the Public Employment Service Unit (PES) in relation to the effective training, recruitment and placement of workers to ensure, in cooperation where necessary with other public and private bodies concerned, the best possible organization of the employment market. It also requests the Government to provide updated statistical information disaggregated by age, sex, and region on the number of applications for employment received, the number of vacancies notified, and the number of persons placed in employment by the PES.

Articles 4 and 5. Consultation of the social partners. The Committee notes the Government’s indication that it remains fully committed to collaborating with the Labour Advisory Board and other key stakeholders, such as Youth for the Future, the Conscious Youth Development Programme and the Women’s Department, in developing and implementing a national employment policy. The Committee once again requests the Government to provide detailed updated information on the nature, scope and impact of the social partners’ involvement in the organization and operation of the public employment service through the Labour Advisory Board. In this context, the Committee invites the Government to provide information in its next report concerning progress made in relation to the development of a national employment policy.

Article 6(b)(iv). Facilitating the movement of workers to other countries. The Government indicates that no measures were taken during the reporting period to facilitate the movement of Belizean workers to other countries, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Committee requests the Government to continue to provide updated information in this respect.

Articles 7 and 8. Special arrangements for young persons and persons with disabilities. The Government indicates that job-preparedness training was provided to young persons during the reporting period. The PES also referred young persons to vocational training institutions. The Government adds that the PES plans to work with other organizations to provide its services to persons with disabilities who are seeking employment. The Committee requests the Government to provide updated detailed information concerning the nature and scope of the job-preparedness training and other vocational guidance, education and training services provided to young persons through the Public Employment Service Unit (PES). Itfurther requests the Government to provide detailed updated information, including statistical data disaggregated by sex and age, on the impact of the measures taken for young persons within the framework of the abovementioned services on the access of young persons to sustainable employment and decent work. The Committee further requests the Government to provide updated detailed information, including statistical data disaggregated by age and sex, on the nature, scope and impact of the measures taken to provide effective tailored support, including in terms of vocational guidance, education and training, job-preparedness training and employment placement services to meet the employment needs of persons with disabilities seeking lasting employment and decent work in the open labour market.