Sweeping Labour Law Reforms: Four New Bills to Modernise Employment Framework 📜

• The Government is advancing its comprehensive labour law reform agenda, preparing to introduce four new bills to modernise Sri Lanka's employment framework. • These four bills will simplify and consolidate existing laws, specifically covering: • Trade Unions • Labour Relations • Occupational Safety • Termination of Employment • A 17-member committee is reviewing 14 existing labour laws. The goal is to balance worker welfare and protection with enterprise competitiveness and flexibility. • Interim amendments will be made to current laws (e.g., night work for women, labour protection, employment insurance) until the new framework is fully enacted. • Separately, the national policy on occupational safety and health is reaching its final stage. Work is also underway to upgrade the Labour Department’s database to register all workers under the government's digitalisation drive.