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Trinidad & Tobago - Compensation & Benefit Legislation

CAPITAL

Port of Spain

 

CLIMATE

Tropical climate with a rainy season from June to December.

 

LANGUAGES

English (official), Hindi, French, Spanish, Chinese

 

LEGAL SYSTEM

Trinidad and Tobago’s legal system is based on English common law with judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court. Trinidad & Tobago has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction.

 

CURRENCY

Trinidad and Tobago Dollar (1 USD = 6.11000 TTD as of May 1, 2002).

 

TRINIDAD & TOBAGO - COST-OF-LIVING

ERI's Relocation Assessor is a recommended source for cost-of-living data.

 

TRINIDAD & TOBAGO - EMBASSY/CONSULATES

U.S. Embassy at Port of Spain

15 Queen's Park West

Port of Spain

Trinidad & Tobago

Telephone: (868) 622-6371

Fax: (868)628-5462

http://usembassy.state.gov/trinidad/

 

Embassy of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago at Washington D.C.

1708 Massachusetts Avenue N.W.

Washington D.C. 20036

Telephone: (202) 467-6490

Fax: (202) 785-3130

http://ttembassy.cjb.net

 

TRINIDAD & TOBAGO - HOLIDAYS

 

TRINIDAD & TOBAGO – LEAVE

Maternity Leave: 13 weeks – 60% to 100% of pay (paid by social security and employer).

 

TRINIDAD & TOBAGO - MINIMUM AGE

The minimum legal age for workers is 12 years. Children from 12 to 14 years of age may work only in family businesses. Children under the age of 18 legally may work only during daylight hours, with the exception of 16- to 18-year-olds, who may work at night in sugar factories.

 

(Section 6.d. Acceptable Conditions of Work, Trinidad & Tobago – Report of Human Rights Practices, 2001, U.S. Department of State.)

 

TRINIDAD & TOBAGO - MINIMUM REMUNERATION

The minimum wage is TT$7.00 per hour (approximately $1.10).

 

(Section 6.e. Acceptable Conditions of Work, Trinidad & Tobago – Report of Human Rights Practices, 2001, U.S. Department of State.)

 

TRINIDAD & TOBAGO - REMUNERATION

ERI's Geographic and Salary Assessors are recommended sources for international remuneration covering 189 countries.

 

TRINIDAD & TOBAGO - REPORT OF HUMAN RIGHTS PRACTICES (2001, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE)

Section 6 Worker Rights

 

a. The Right of Association

 

The 1972 Industrial Relations Act provides that all workers, including those in state-owned enterprises, may form or join unions of their own choosing without prior authorization. Union membership has declined, with an estimated 25 to 30 percent of the work force organized in 19 active unions. Most unions are independent of the Government or political party control, although the Sugar Workers' Union historically was allied with the UNC. Prime Minister Panday formerly was president of the Sugar Workers' Union.

 

The law prohibits antiunion activities before a union is registered legally, and the Ministry of Labor enforces this provision when it receives a complaint. A union also may bring a request for enforcement to the Industrial Court. All employees except those in "essential services," which include the police and many other government employees, have the right to strike. There were no significant strikes during the year.

 

The Labor Relations Act prohibits retribution against strikers and provides for grievance procedures if needed. A special section of the Industrial Court handles mandatory arbitration cases. Arbitration agreements are enforceable and can be appealed only to the Industrial Court. Most observers consider this court to be impartial; it consists of government, business, and labor representatives.

 

Unions freely join federations and affiliate with international bodies. There are no restrictions on international travel or contacts.

 

b. The Right to Organize and Bargain Collectively

 

The Industrial Relations Act establishes the right of workers to collective bargaining. The Ministry of Labor's conciliation service maintains statistical information regarding the number of workers covered by collective bargaining agreements and the number of antiunion complaints filed.

 

The Industrial Court may order employers who are found guilty of antiunion activities to reinstate workers and pay compensation, or it can impose other penalties including imprisonment. When necessary the conciliation service also determines which unions should have senior status.

 

There are several export processing zones (EPZ's). The same labor laws apply in the EPZ's as in the rest of the country.

 

c. Prohibition of Forced or Compulsory Labor

 

The law does not prohibit specifically forced or compulsory labor, but there were no reports that it was practiced. There were also no reports of forced or bonded labor by children.

 

d. Status of Child Labor Practices and Minimum Age for Employment

 

The minimum legal age for workers is 12 years. Children from 12 to 14 years of age may work only in family businesses. Children under the age of 18 legally may work only during daylight hours, with the exception of 16- to 18-year-olds, who may work at night in sugar factories. The Ministry of Labor and Small and Micro-Enterprises is responsible for enforcing child labor provisions, but enforcement is lax because there are no established mechanisms for receiving, investigating, and addressing child labor complaints. The Ministry is seeking assistance from the International Labor Organization (ILO) to address the problem. There is no organized exploitation of child labor, but children are seen begging or working as street vendors. The Government has not ratified ILO Convention 182 on elimination of the worst forms of child labor. The law does not prohibit specifically forced and bonded labor by children, but such practices are not known to occur (see Section 6.c.).

 

e. Acceptable Conditions of Work

 

The 1998 Minimum Wages Act established a minimum wage of about $1.10 (TT$7.00) per hour. The minimum wage does not provide a decent standard of living for a worker and family, but most workers earn more than the minimum. The Ministry of Labor enforces the minimum wage regulations.

 

The Minimum Wages Act also established a 40-hour workweek, time-and-one-half pay for the first 4 hours of overtime on a workday, double pay for the next 4 hours, and triple pay thereafter. For Sundays, holidays, and off days, the act also provides for double pay for the first 8 hours and triple pay thereafter. Daily rest periods and paid annual leave form part of most employment agreements.

 

The Factories and Ordinance Bill of 1948 sets requirements for health and safety standards in certain industries and provides for inspections to monitor and enforce compliance. The Industrial Relations Act protects workers who file complaints with the Ministry of Labor regarding illegal or hazardous working conditions. If it is determined upon inspection that hazardous conditions exist in the workplace, the worker is absolved for refusing to comply with an order that would have placed him or her in danger.

 

f. Trafficking in Persons

 

While there are no laws that specifically address trafficking in persons, the illegality of such acts is covered broadly in a variety of laws that address kidnaping, labor conditions, pimping and prostitution, slavery, and indentured servitude. There were no reports of persons being trafficked to, from, or within the country.

 

TRINIDAD & TOBAGO - SOCIAL SECURITY

Social Security Office of International Programs:

 

http://www.ssa.gov/SSA_Home.html

 

TRINIDAD & TOBAGO - STANDARD WORKWEEK

The Minimum Wages Act also established a 40-hour workweek, time-and-one-half pay for the first 4 hours of overtime on a workday, double pay for the next 4 hours, and triple pay thereafter. For Sundays, holidays, and off days, the act also provides for double pay for the first 8 hours and triple pay thereafter. Daily rest periods and paid annual leave form part of most employment agreements.

 

(Section 6.e. Acceptable Conditions of Work, Trinidad & Tobago – Report of Human Rights Practices, 2001, U.S. Department of State.)