country, engage in promoting emergency or short term employment opportunities as well as
long term sustainable programs. While the emergency component of the programs has
currently ended, LEAP, in a merger with the Bureau of Employment Services, has been
transformed into the National Bureau of Employment (NBE) and continues to create short‐term
employment opportunities in and outside of Monrovia.
54.
Recognizing the high level of unemployment among Liberians, the country has
strengthened the implementation of the Liberianization policy. In this regard, the Ministry of
Labor has created a database of Liberian professionals and made it easily accessible to
employers, has required all employers to advertise professional vacancies, and has set up an
inspection committee and a fining system to ensure that labor work permits are not issued to
aliens for positions qualified Liberians can occupy.
55.
Liberia acknowledges that intrinsic to the right to work is the right to fair and favorable
conditions of work and the right of workers to organize into trade unions. Accordingly, the
country has repealed PRC Decree 12 of the Labor Law which prohibited workers from striking;
formed the Liberian Labor Congress, a national labor center which represents all labor unions in
the country and provides mediation services to labor disputes in the country; reconstituted the
Minimum Wage Board within the Ministry of Labor to set a new minimum wage for the private
sector; conducted extensive capacity building trainings for labor inspectors; engaged in
numerous work site inspections to ensure compliance with applicable safety laws and amended
Section 1508(3) of the Labor Law which previously gave employers the power to dismiss
employees without cause.
56.
To further achieve steady economic and social development, Liberia has adopted a “one
stop shop” concept to facilitate private investment in the country. Through the National
Investment Commission and the Investment Incentive Code, the country is removing
bureaucratic hurdles to investors and providing the right incentives to enterprises that utilize
Liberian manpower at all levels, contribute to advancing local skills through training schemes
and increase employment all over the country. As an integral part of the effort to promote
investment, Liberia is taking steps to incorporate the concept of business and human rights into
the country’s investment policies. In this regard, the National Investment Commission is
presently training the staff of the Commission and exploring ways to promote corporate social
responsibility in the country.
57.
In addition, the President of Liberia is currently reviewing a proposed draft bill‐The
Decent Work Bill. The passing of this bill into law is expected to significantly improve the rights
of workers as well as provide protection to casual laborers.
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