Transition Unemployment Benefit
Introduced in February 2009, under the Employment Rights Act 2008, the Transition Unemployment Benefit is payable to Mauritian workers of private sector whose contract of employment is terminated under the Workers’ Rights Act 2019 and who have been registered in the workfare programme.
LEGISLATION
THE EMPLOYMENT RIGHTS ACT 2008
Act No. 33 of 2008, into effect as from feb.2009
OBJECTIVE:
Ensuring appropriate protection to workers at time of distress especially when a worker’s employment has been terminated.
WORKER- TO JOIN THE PROGRAMME
– A worker contributing to NPS loses his job
– And also a worker whose employment has been terminated shall be entitled to join the Workfare Programme.
“worker” does not include –
(a) a public officer;
(b) a person employed by a parastatal body or by a local authority;
(c) a part-time worker;
(d) a migrant worker;
(e) a worker employed in the sugar industry who voluntarily retires –
(i) in the context of a Voluntary Retirement Scheme under section 23 of the Sugar Industry Efficiency Act 2001;
(ii) an Early Retirement Scheme under section 23A of the Sugar Industry Efficiency Act 2001; or
(iii) a factory closure pursuant to section 24 of the Cane Planters and Millers Arbitration and Control Board Act;
(f) a person reckoning less than 6 months continuous employment with an employer as at the date of the termination of his employment
Workfare programme shall consist of:
– Payment of a transition unemployment benefit to every worker whose (employment ) agreement has been terminated and who opts to join the workfare programme
What the worker has to do?
- He shall register himself with the Permanent Secretary (Ministry of Labour and Human Resource Development) within 30 days of the termination of his employment
- The Permanent Secretary may extend the time if good cause is shown.
TRANSITION UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFIT
- Every worker registered in the Workfare Programme shall be entitled to a transition unemployment benefit for a minimum period of one month and a maximum period of 12 months as follows:
Period after termination of employment | Rate of benefit per month |
First 3 months | 90% of insurable wage or salary but not less than RS 3000 |
From 4th month to end of 6th month | 60% of insurable wage or salary but not less than RS 3000 |
From 7th month to end of 12th month | 30% of insurable wage or salary but not less than RS 3000 |
Transition Unemployment Benefit (TUB):-
will cease as from the end of month in which the worker:
(a) opts out of the Workfare Programme;
(b) becomes gainfully employed;
(c) refuses an offer for job placement for a second time;
(d) is admitted by the Human Resource Development Council to a training or re-skilling scheme;
(e) sets up a small business with the assistance of the Small Enterprises and Handicraft Development Authority; or
(f) reaches the retirement age
However, where a worker becomes gainfully employed, he shall notify the Permanent Secretary within 7 days of the day he became gainfully employed (sect. 44 (5) )