Latest news with #LabourDepartment
South China Morning Post
a day ago
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Driven by Trump's tariffs, US inflation accelerated 2.7% in June
Inflation rose last month to its highest level since February as President Donald Trump's sweeping tariffs are pushing up the cost of a range of goods, including furniture, clothing, and large appliances. Advertisement Consumer prices rose 2.7 per cent in June from a year earlier, the Labour Department said on Tuesday, up from an annual increase of 2.4 per cent in May. On a monthly basis, prices climbed 0.3 per cent from May to June, after rising just 0.1 per cent the previous month. Worsening inflation poses a political challenge for President Donald Trump, who promised during last year's presidential campaign to immediately lower costs. The sharp inflation spike of 2022-2023 was the worst in four decades and soured most Americans on former president Joe Biden's handling of the economy. Higher inflation will also likely heighten the Federal Reserve's reluctance to cut its short-term interest rate, as Trump is loudly demanding. Trump has often insisted in comments on social media that there was 'no inflation' and that as a result, the central bank should swiftly reduce its key interest rate from its current level of 4.3 per cent to around 3 per cent. Excluding the volatile food and energy categories, core inflation increased 2.9 per cent in June from a year earlier, up from 2.8 per cent in May. On a monthly basis, it picked up 0.2 per cent from May to June. Economists closely watch core prices because they typically provide a better sense of where inflation is headed. Advertisement
The South African
2 days ago
- Business
- The South African
Stricter BEE quotas for South African businesses just 45 days away
New, stricter BEE quotas in South Africa dictate that all workforces must, 'reflect the racial, gender and disability makeup of the population.' This is as stipulated in the latest Employment Equity Amendment Act, which came into effect in 2025. As such, the Department of Employment and Labour has been hosting workshops all around the country to get employers up to speed. Moreover, the department has warned that any South African businesses that don't comply with the new BEE quotas will face censure. The IMF and World Bank has called Employment Equity 'well-meaning but flawed' in a South African context. Image: File The Labour Department's new BEE quotas come into effect in just 45 days' time, on Monday 1 September 2025. Amendments to the Employment Equity Act require percentage-based quotas on businesses across 18 different sectors. And employers have five years (2030) to meet said targets. Each businesses' workforce should be made up certain percentages of 'designated groups,' reports BusinessTech . These groups are made up of: Black African, coloured, Indian, women and the disabled. Amendments to the Employment Equity Act come into effect in 45 days' time. Image: File According to the Labour Department's 2030 BEE quotas, all businesses employing more than 50 people are considered 'designated employers' under the new laws. As such, these businesses must have Employment Equity Plans that outline their five-year strategy. Businesses with less than 50 employees are exempt from these stricter BEE quotas. However, several business groups are not happy and have banded together to challenge the stricter BEE quotas in court. They are unhappy with the following issues: Government failed to consult with public and private stakeholders. New sectoral targets differ greatly from previous versions. Quotas within the new BEE quotas are arbitrary and irrational No economic impact studies were conducted to determine the effect of these laws. The stricter BEE quotas laws are unconstitutional in that they go against the ideals of non-racialism, equality and justice. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
Gulf Today
3 days ago
- Business
- Gulf Today
Employee wins Dhs99,567 in court after 3-month salary delay in Abu Dhabi
The Abu Dhabi Primary Labour Court has ordered a company to pay Dhs99,567 to an employee who had been working under a fixed-term contract but was not paid his salaries and wages for approximately three months. The employee had filed a complaint with the Labour Department at the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE), but the department was unable to resolve the dispute and subsequently referred the case to the court. In his lawsuit, the employee requested that the court compel the company to pay the overdue wages for three months—totaling Dhs99,567—and cover legal fees and expenses. He stated that, according to his contract, he was entitled to a monthly basic salary of Dhs12,000 and a total salary of Dhs29,000. The court noted that while a representative of the company attended the hearing, no defense or supporting evidence was presented. Since the employee claimed unpaid wages and the burden of proof lies with the employer, who failed to provide payment evidence, the court ruled in the employee's favor. Taking into account the employee's total monthly salary, the court ordered the company to pay Dhs99,567 in unpaid dues.
South China Morning Post
5 days ago
- Climate
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong probes fatal work incident involving collapsed iron beam during storm
Hong Kong authorities are investigating whether a contractor involved in a fatal work incident took the necessary precautions during a rainstorm, the city's labour minister has said as he urged employers to ensure a safe work environment under adverse weather. Advertisement Secretary for Labour and Welfare Chris Sun Yuk-han said on Saturday that contractors must exercise 'extra caution' under poor weather, following an industrial incident two days ago in which a worker was killed by a falling iron beam at a site near the border crossing facilities of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge. 'Under the law, employers have a statutory duty to ensure a safe environment for workers to work, especially when the weather is bad,' he said. 'If construction work is required during a red rainstorm warning, extra caution must be exercised and preventive measures must be taken. 'Our investigation will also look in this direction, especially whether the employer took sufficient precautions to ensure that the risk of accidents was minimised.' Advertisement The minister urged employers to take precautions, adding that the Labour Department had clear guidelines and would also step up inspections. An investigation into the fatal incident by the department was under way.
South China Morning Post
6 days ago
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong's MPF authority seeks missing payments for workers of now-closed chain
Hong Kong's pension authority is looking into HK$100,000 (US$12,740) in missing payments for 20 employees from the Michelin-starred Chinese restaurant Xin Dau Ji, following the chain's abrupt closure of its Kowloon Bay branch on Wednesday. The Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Authority said on Friday that it was pursuing the failed contributions in April and May. Lawmaker Kwok Wai-keung confirmed the restaurant's closure on July 9 and that about 20 affected staff had reached out to the Labour Department for help on Friday afternoon. He said that the Protection of Wages on Insolvency Fund could not cover missing payments for the Mandatory Provident Fund and that if companies decided to shut down, they should not leave their staff bearing losses. 'I urge the industry to stop employing foreign labour to protect ours. If companies plan to do so, authorities should first make sure that workers who are laid off due to sudden closures are employed.' The shutdown of the branch at MegaBox shopping centre in Kowloon Bay marked the exit of the entire chain that once boasted six outlets at its peak in the city.
