KARACHI – Employers Federation of Pakistan is highly perturbed that the Sindh Government introduced the Sindh COVID-19 Emergency Relief Ordinance 2020 to force industries and businesses to pay salaries and wages at a time when these are completely closed and employers are strapped for financial resources.
In a press statement, EFP stated that under Article 3 (2) (b), “no employee or worker shall be laid off, terminated or removed and the employee shall be paid salary by the Employer as indicated in Schedule I, provided that the period of closure of an establishment may be considered by the Employer as the paid leave”. According to the Schedule, the Employer would have to pay 100% salary/wages if these are Rs 50,000 per month or less.
EFP is also perplexed over the definition of “prescribed period” which states that it is the “period for taking prevention, protection and control the COVID-19, from time to time”.
EFP requests the Sindh Governor and Chief Minister to hold this Ordinance in abeyance and instead first discuss the ramifications with Employer organizations including EFP which is the Apex Body of Manufacturers of Pakistan. EFP is also concerned that this Ordinance is discriminatory since it would only apply to Employers of Sindh. EFP sincerely requests the Sindh Government to always take Employers into confidence whenever such initiatives are unilaterally taken by it.
