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Last update - 06:12 27/01/2008 New labor bill puts workers' rights in companies' hands By Ruth Sinai, Haaretz Correspondent Tags: Israel, Histadrut  A bill that would monitor the implementation of labor laws based on a unique model of cooperation between the government, the Histadrut labor federation and private employers' organizations has been formulated by the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Labor. The bill proposes a series of warnings and fines for non-compliance with labor laws, and also places responsibility for ensuring the rights of human resource company workers, like cleaners and guards, on the body commissioning their services. The bill, which has been criticized by social action groups for being too lenient on bodies commissioning human-resource workers, calls for issuing a warning to an employer suspected of non-compliance with labor laws to rectify the situation within 30 days. If this is not done, a fine can be imposed by a labor-law inspector, which the employer can appeal to a committee, headed by a representative of the Justice Ministry and including representatives of the Histadrut and the employers' organizations. Fines will range from NIS 5,000 to NIS 35,000 for each infraction, with the industry, trade and labor minister authorized to reduce them. Senior officials of the employing company may also be fined if it is determined that they did not prevent the impairment of workers' rights. Advertisement If the suspected infraction was committed by a human-resource company, the body that hired the firm will also receive a warning, to give it the opportunity to pressure the company to mend its ways, or face having to give up its contract, so the commissioning body can avoid having to pay a fine itself. The bill has been slammed by the Forum for Ensuring Workers' Rights, a coalition of social action groups, for going easy on non-compliant employers. For example if a body commissioning the services of a human resource contractor breaks its contract with the contractor, the fine will be revoked. The fine will not be imposed if the commissioning body employs less than four human resource contractor's workers, nor if it employed the workers for less than six months, and under other circumstances. However, the commissioning body will be fined if it can be proved that it contracted with a human resource company under other conditions, in which it would be impossible to pay the workers lawfully. "The bill actually removes responsibility from the commissioning body and constitutes a retreat from the present situation," the forum said. The forum has also accused the trade ministry of trying to stop a private member's bill its organizations have put forward, which has already been approved for its first reading by the cabinet Bookmark to del.icio.us   Strip Solidarity More than 1,000 march against the blockade on the Israeli side of the Gaza border. PFLP founder dead George Habash, founder of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, dies at 81.

Today Online Israel demands that Egypt restore order at Gaza-Egypt border Responses: 734 Militants who raided yeshiva were recently released criminals Responses: 263 Editorial: The siege of Gaza has failed Responses: 361 U.S. pushes UN to condemn Qassam rocket fire for first time Responses: 373 Richard Silverstein: Seeking liberal Jewish bloggers Responses: 111 Rosner's Domain Two days before the Florida primary, Rudy seeks solace in football The best Jewish date (WTR) McCain using support for Israel to court Jews - and Christians Poll: How important is Israel in the 2008 election? Ambassador vs. Ambassador: Is Obama good for Israel? More Headlines 04:07 Abbas to push for return of border control to PA 03:54 Livni to meet with protesters who seek PM's resignation 00:41 Anti-Semitic incidents rise in Germany, Australia, U.S. in 2007 02:05 Drought forces cabinet to vote on emergency water measures 00:11 Umm al-Fahm turns out lights, Israelis rally against Gaza siege 04:27 Barack Obama wins South Carolina Democratic primary 00:07 Palestinians: PFLP founder George Habash dies at 81 17:01 In remembrance of Holocaust, UN chief Ban says 'never again' 17:58 Israeli duo of Ram, Erlich win Australian Open doubles title 01:28 Iran vows to retaliate against US bases in Gulf if U.S. attacks first Previous Editions Select Day 25 jan 24 jan 23 jan 22 jan 21 jan 20 jan 18 jan 17 jan 16 jan 15 jan 14 jan 13 jan

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