The Ministry of Labour has recovered over $200 million in unpaid wages for workers over the past four years, including $31.7 million in 2024 alone.
Minister of Labour Joseph Hamilton shared this update during a press briefing at the ministry’s headquarters on Tuesday, highlighting the government’s ongoing efforts to protect workers’ rights
The minister revealed that several employers who were involved in withholding wages had also committed other infractions, including evasion tactics to avoid accountability.
He noted that some companies frequently changed their business names to evade conviction.
“When they rob people in 2024, next year in 2025, they change the company name to another name…a lot of these security companies the name they started with I can tell you is not the name they have five years ten years,” Minister Hamilton explained.
Despite these challenges, the ministry has intensified its efforts to hold such companies accountable, recover workers’ wages and reduce the number of labour complaints.
Through targeted initiatives such as outreach programmes, seminars, and the newly launched labour app, the ministry has improved its complaint-receiving mechanisms. Minister Hamilton noted that the app empowers workers who may not lodge formal complaints out of fear they might lose their jobs.
“This app has allowed them to make those reports so that the ministry of labour, labour department can intervene,” the minister said.
With a significant number of cases already resolved, Minister Hamilton assured workers that all remaining labour cases will be investigated and addressed. (Department of Public Information)
