Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2005, published 95th ILC session (2006)

Weekly Rest (Commerce and Offices) Convention, 1957 (No. 106) - Sri Lanka (Ratification: 1983)

Article 8, paragraph 1, of the Convention. The Committee recalls its previous comments in which it noted that the term "unforeseen circumstances" under section 5(2) of the Shop and Office Employees Act, permitting the Commissioner of Labour to grant accumulated weekly rest, is broader in scope than the exceptions foreseen under this Article of the Convention. It notes the Government’s indication that requests for granting accumulated leave are minimal and that in any case no such instances have been reported during the last several years.

Moreover, the Committee notes the Government’s statement that a tripartite committee has been appointed under the National Labour Advisory Council (NLAC) to review the existing labour laws and formulate proposals, taking into consideration the views of workers’ and employers’ organizations and other social partners as well as the comments of the ILO Committee of Experts. It hopes that the relevant provision of the Shop and Office Employees Act will be amended soon to comply with the Convention, and requests the Government to keep it informed of any progress made in this regard.