Observation (CEACR) - adopted 2022, published 111st ILC session (2023)

Lebanon

Workmen's Compensation (Accidents) Convention, 1925 (No. 17) (Ratification: 1977)
Equality of Treatment (Accident Compensation) Convention, 1925 (No. 19) (Ratification: 1977)

The Committee notes with concern that the Government’s report has not been received. It is therefore bound to repeat its previous comments.

Repetition

In order to provide a comprehensive view of the issues relating to the application of ratified Conventions on workmen’s compensation, the Committee considers it appropriate to examine Convention No. 17 (accidents) and No. 19 (equality of treatment) together.

Convention No. 17. Application of the Convention in practice. In its previous comments, the Committee hoped that the Government would make every effort to complete the reforms required to guarantee the protection afforded by the Convention to injured workers. The Committee notes the information provided by the Government in its report according to which, issues in the application of the Convention were due to the delayed implementation of the Occupational Accidents and Occupational Diseases Branch, established by the Social Security Code (Decree No. 13955 of 1963) but not yet established in practice. The Committee notes with concern that compensation in case of work-related accidents is still regulated by Legislative Decree No. 136 of 1983, which it has previously found not to be in compliance with the requirements of the Convention in many respects: Article 2 – the necessity to make the above Legislative Decree applicable to apprentices; Article 5 – the necessity to provide in the event of employment injury that the compensation shall be paid in the form of periodical payments to the injured worker or his or her dependants, provided that it may only be paid in the form of a lump sum where there are guarantees that it will be properly utilized; Article 6 – the payments of compensation in case of temporary incapacity from the fifth day following the accident at the latest and throughout the duration of the invalidity, that is until the worker is cured, or up to the date of the commencement of the periodical payments for permanent incapacity; Article 7 – necessity to provide additional compensation where the worker requires the constant help of another person; Article 8 – provision for review of the periodical payments either automatically or at the request of the beneficiary in the event of a change in the condition of the worker; and Article 11 – making provision for guarantees in the event of the insolvency of the insurer, inter alia. The Committee observes that, despite the comments it has been making for many years, the measures necessary to bring the national legislation into conformity with the Convention have still not been taken. The Committee once again requests the Government to report on measures envisaged or taken with a view to giving full effect to the Convention, including measures related to the amendment of Legislative Decree No. 136 of 1983 and the implementation of the Occupational Accidents and Occupational Diseasesbranch of the Social Security Code.

Article 1(1) and (2) of Convention No. 19. Equality of treatment for survivors. In its previous comments, the Committee recalled that, for many years, it has been drawing the Government’s attention to the issue of the right of survivors of foreign workers, originating from a country party to Convention No. 19, to receive a pension even if they did not reside in Lebanon at the time of the accident causing the death of their breadwinner, and hoped that the new Labour Code would guarantee this right in law and practiceand would not forestall the corresponding amendment of the legislation governing compensation for employment injuries, namely section 10 of Legislative Decree No. 136 of 1983 and sections 9(3), subparagraphs (2) and (4) of the Social Security Code. The Committee notes the Government’s indication that it would be necessary to amend the relevant provisions in the Social Security Code once the Occupational Accidents and Occupational Diseases Branch is enacted to give effect to the Convention. Recalling that the Convention guarantees equality of treatment between the dependants of nationals and those of foreign workers from a country which has ratified the Convention without any requirement as to residence and irrespective of any reciprocity condition, the Committee once again requests the Government to take necessary measures to bring the national legislation in conformity with the Convention.

The Committee has been informed that, based on the recommendations of the Standards Review Mechanism Tripartite Working Group (SRM tripartite working group), the Governing Body has decided that member States for which Convention No. 17 is in force should be encouraged to ratify the more recent Employment Injury Benefits Convention, 1964 [Schedule I amended in 1980] (No. 121), or the Social Security (Minimum Standards) Convention, 1952 (No. 102), accepting its Part VI (see GB.328/LILS/2/1). Conventions Nos 102 and 121 reflect the more modern approach to employment injury benefits. The Committee therefore encourages the Government to follow up the Governing Body’s decision at its 328th Session (October–November 2016) approving the recommendations of the SRM tripartite working group and to consider ratifying Conventions Nos 102 (Part VI) or 121 as the most up-to-date instruments in this subject area. The Committee reminds the Government of the possibility to avail itself of the technical assistance of the Office in this regard.

The Committee hopes that the Government will make every effort to take the necessary action in the near future.