A government employee has raised concerns about being excluded from the current backpay eligibility criteria, despite spending years serving in a public sector role through the Labour Department's New Work Experience Programme.
The worker, who joined the programme in 2018, was placed at a government office in the role of Data Clerk and Customer Service Representative. Rather than completing the intended six-month placement, the individual remained in the position for three years before being permanently hired in 2022, following a government mandate requiring permanent employment for all participants in the programme.
With backpay discussions now underway, the Government has indicated that employees hired between 2018 and 2023 are entitled to receive compensation. The worker, however, says they were told they do not qualify.
"This is deeply saddening," the employee wrote in a letter to the editor. "The Work Experience Programme was originally designed to provide individuals with six months of work experience. Instead, many of us remained in positions for years, contributing our skills, talent, and labour while institutions benefited from our hard work far beyond the intended contractual period."
The worker argues that those hired under similar circumstances are being unfairly denied benefits that should rightfully apply to them. They contend the programme, meant to help young people enter the workforce, instead allowed institutions to benefit from extended service without offering equal consideration in return.
The concerned employee is now urging the relevant authorities to review the matter and recognise the contributions of workers who served faithfully during those years.
