"Ensuring Protection and Promotion of Labour Rights during the Covid-19 Pandemic" 

The Uganda Consortium on Corporate Accountability (UCCA), commends the government for acting swiftly aaa and putting in place measures and restrictions to respond to the global coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. These measures whereas well intended, have nonetheless affected a majority of Uganda’s working population in both the formal and informal sector. Broadly, labour relations have become critical areas of concern that need government intervention to ensure more stringent protective measures for both the stressed companies and their workers. It is now more critical that the government comes up with clear economic response plans to support stressed businesses and ensure employee retentions amidst the global pandemic...

Business enterprises desist from termination of employees as this would occasion more costs in terminal benefits. In compliance with Section 19 of the Employment Act, all employers to provide returns and statistics on the number of workers likely to be affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Any employee lay-offs should be in accordance with collective bargaining agreements or section 84 of the Employment Act as a temporary measure which should not break the continuity of service of employment. This brief provides guidance to businesses that have remained operational during the pandemic and those that are closed respectively...