Law Amendments regarding the provision of workers by intermediaries

Read in this article about the recent amendments in Suriname regarding the intermediaries act and minimum wage act.

Dear reader, a critical amendment to the Law Regarding the Provision of Workers by Intermediaries has been passed by the Parliament, which we believe may be relevant to your interest:

Amendment to the Law Regarding the Provision of Workers by Intermediaries (hereinafter referred to as the “Intermediary Act”):

This amendment, receiving a favorable vote of 38 members, aims not only to regulate the employment relationship, but also to enhance the legal protections afforded to employees. A notable modification introduced by this amendment grants employers increased flexibility in assessing the performance and progression of temporary workers.

Further Insights on the Intermediary Act Amendments:

While we await the official publication of the amended Intermediary Act in the Gazette, we wish to underline the significance of these changes. The amendments mark a substantial shift in the approach towards the legal status and protection of employees, offering a broader scope for employers to manage and evaluate temporary workers effectively. We have summarized the key amendments for your convenience below and encourage you to review them carefully to understand their implications fully.

According to the law prior to the amendment, the temporary workers who have worked for a period longer than two (2) years continuously, automatically entered into the permanent employment of the hiring company on the basis of an employment contract for an indefinite period. This time period has now been extended to three (3) years. Based on the amendment the temporary worker does not automatically enter the permanent employment of the hiring company if the period of three (3) years is exceeded.

The first permit granted to the intermediary will henceforth be granted for max. five (5) years, after which the permit can be granted for an indefinite period if the permit holder has met the conditions of the permit. Previously the permit was granted for max. five (5) years, with a possibility of extension.

Further the amendment stipulated that the intermediary is obligated to pay the temporary worker a least 75% of the wage and to provide the same employment conditions as the permanent worker, whereas in the law prior to the amendment, the wage payment and employment conditions had to be equal for both type of workers working in equal or equivalent positions employed by the hiring company.

This law will be evaluated annually, with the first evaluation planned for December of this year.

With the recent amendments, the government aims to reach a balance between the interests of the temporary workers and those of the intermediaries.

Should you have any queries or need any legal assistance with your labor related matters, don’t hesitate to contact us through below button!

That’s all for now, folks! Stay tuned for more updates!

Yrania Hirasing

Yrania started her career as a manager at SBIC, a supporting organization of the Chamber of Commerce in Suriname, in 2019. At KGL she is handling both tax and legal clients mainly active in the Oil & Gas sector in Suriname. Want to know more about Yrania? Feel free to reach out to her.

Law Amendments regarding the provision of workers by intermediaries

Yrania Hirasing

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Update: Amendment to the Law regarding the Minimum Wage