Reprieve for fired workers

Workers are empowered by the law to apply for sequestration of companies in circumstances where management fails to honour obligations such as retrenchment packages, salary arrears and pensions among others.

The firing of workers, the lawyers said, was counter-productive as core competences at companies were being forced to migrate to other countries where job security was more guaranteed.

Sequestration is the taking of someone's property, voluntarily (by deposit) or involuntarily (by seizure), by court agents or into the possession of a third party, awaiting the outcome of a trial in which ownership of that property is at issue.

Labour law expert Caleb Mucheche said the new law was being abused, especially the retrenchment provision under Section 12 (C) of the Labour (Amendment) Act.