In a press release, the Ministry of Labour explained that the Bill “seeks to strengthen the rights and obligations of employers and employees in Bermuda’s labour force as well as modernise and clarify areas of the existing legislation to ensure it is in line with international best practices”. The proposed amendments both elaborate and amend existing provisions and introduce new provisions including the requirement of meal breaks and the provision of anti-bullying and sexual harassment policies.
In a two-part series, we will be providing an overview of the proposed amendments. In this alert, we focus on the proposed amendments to termination procedures (including requirements related to probationary periods). In the second alert we will provide an overview of the amendments and additions to employee entitlements, new obligations on employers and the Bill’s miscellaneous provisions.
It should be noted that the Act and the Bill apply only to ‘employees’ within the meaning of the Act, being employees who work at least 15 hours a week, wholly or mainly in Bermuda, and who do not fall within one of the exceptions e.g. a casual worker or a student employed in their vacation period.
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Bermuda Seeks to Amend Employment Act
