MALAWI:  EMPLOYMENT ACT, 2000                                                     MALAWI SDNP
 
 
 
PART IX-MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS 
 
Disputes and  
complaints		 64.  (1) Any person having a question, difference or dispute as 
      to the rights or liabilities of any person, employer or employee 
      under this Act or a contract of employment may bring the matter to 
      the attention of a labour officer who shall attempt to resolve the 
      matter. 

         (2) Any person alleging a violation of a provision of this Act may file a 
               complaint with the District Labour Officer who may institute or 
               cause to be instituted a prosecution in order to enforce the 
               provisions of this Act. 

         (3) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsections (1) and (2), 
              any person alleging a violation of a provision of this Act may, 
              where not otherwise specified, present his complaint to the Court 
              for relief and where a time limit has been set for the presentation 
              of a complaint by a complainant and the District Labour Officer 
              chooses not to institute a prosecution, the limit shall be further 
              extended for one month. 

         (4) No provision of this Act shall be interpreted so as to prevent 
               a trade union or an employer's organization from representing a 
               person having a question, difference or dispute under subsection (1) 
               or alleging a violation of a provision of this Act under subsection (2) 
               and this section shall be read as authorizing such representation. 
 
Handling  
of complaints		 65.         Complaints made under subsections (2) and (3) of section 64 shall 
               be handled by the Court in accordance with provisions of No. 16 
               of 1996 the Labour Relations Act and any rules governing Court 
               procedure and remedies: 

               Provided that the Court shall have jurisdiction to impose all 
               penalties and remedies specifically provided for in this Act. 
 
Offences and  
penalties 		 66. (1)  Any person who contravenes a provision of this Act for which no 
             offence is specifically provided shall be guilty of an offence and liable 
             to a fine of K5,000 and to imprisonment for one year. 

       (2) Any person who is guilty of an offence under this Act for which no 
             penalty is specifically provided shall be liable to a fine of K5,000 
             and to imprisonment for one year. 
 
Regulations  67. The Minister may, in consultation with organizations of employers and 
        employees, make regulations for carrying the purpose and provision of 
        this Act into effect and prescribing all matters which are necessary or 
        convenient to be prescribed for the better carrying out of the provisions 
        of this Act. 
 
 
Repeals#A  and  
savings		  68.  (1) The written laws specified in the Second Schedule are repealed. 

        (2)  Any subsidiary legislation made under the Acts repealed subsection 
              (1), in force immediately before the commencement of  this Act- 

               (a) shall remain in force unless in conflict with this Act and shall be 
                    deemed to be subsidiary legislation under this Act; and 

               (b) may be replaced, amended or repealed by subsidiary 
                     legislation made under this Act. 
 
Transitional   69.  (1) Every contract of employment entered into prior to the coming into 
               force of this Act shall, notwithstanding that its terms are not in 
               conformity with this Act, continue to have effect until the expiry of 
               three months from coming into force of this Act. 

         (2) An employer who is a party to a contract of employment to which 
               subsection (1) applies shall be responsible for causing the 
               contract to comply with this Act. 

            (3) After the expiration of three months from the coming into 
                  force of this Act, an employer who is a party to a contract of 
                  employment to which subsection (1) applies shall not have any 
                  rights thereunder until subsection (2) is complied with. 
 
  (4) An employee who is a party to a  contract of employment 
   to which subsection (1) applies shall, in case of failure by the 
   employer to comply with subsection (2), be entitled to a fair value 
   of any service rendered by him to the employer as a  labour officer 
   may, on the matter coming to his notice, assess and certify in 
   writing the amount to which the employee is entitled to under this 
   subsection: 
 
   Provided that the Court May vary and set aside the certificate of 
   the labour officer and itself assess the fair value of the services 
   rendered by the employee. 
 
                                                                            FIRST SCHEDULE                                             (s. 35 (1))
Length of Service  Severace Allowance Payable
Not less than one year but not exceeding four years two week's wages for each completed year of continuous service
Not less than ten years  four week's wages for each completed  year of continuous service
 
                                                                            SECOND SCHEDULE                                 {s. 68 (1)}
      1.  The Regulation of Minimum Wages and Conditions of Employment Act 
          [cap. 55:01] 
      2.  The Employment Act [Cap- 55:02] 
      3.  The Employment of Women, Young Persons and Children Act [Cap. 55:04] 
      4.  The Labour Legislation (Miscellaneous provisions) Act [cap. 56:01] 
      5.  The African Emigration and Immigrant Workers Act [Cap. 56:02] 
           Passed in Parliament this twenty-ninth day of March, two thousand. 

                                                                                                                  R. L. GONDWE  

                                                                  Clerk of Parliament