Ministry of Labour and Social Security has fined New Century Diamond Hotel K120,000 due to multiple contraventions of labour laws issues.
In a statement, Ministry of labour and social security Principal Public Relations Officer Mwaka Ndawa says an inspection was conducted at the Hotel were it was established that employees were not issued with valid written contracts of employment, failure to maintain records of oral contracts, failure to maintain a payroll or provide employees with pay slips and lack of work place policies.
Ms. Ndawa says other violations recorded include payments below the prescribed minimum wages and wage cuts from employees who fall sick despite them producing sick notes certified by health practitioners.
She highlights that the hotel did not register as an employer with the office of the Labour Commissioner, despite employing more than 25 workers, contrary to Section 63 of the Industrial and Labour Relations Act and operated without a qualified Human Resource Officer, contrary to Section 11 of the Zambia Institute of Human Resource Management Act.
In addition to the penalty charged, the Ministry directed New Century Diamond Hotel to undertake remedial measures by providing all employees with written contracts stating their positions and correct salary scales, place the workers on payroll and issue them with pay slips.
Further the hotel has been directed to make workplace policies available to the employees, pay all salary underpayments, stop unauthorized deductions, register as an employer with the Office of Labour Commissioner and engage a qualified Human Resource Officer.
She has further stated that the Hotel has been ordered to ensure Salary arrears owed to affected employees and separation packages, which have to been paid to the workers by the Hotel, prior to signing new contracts of employment for a period of one year.
The Hotel has been ordered to pay the administrative penalty by Friday, September 25, 2026.
This follows a protest by the new century Diamond Hotel employees over working conditions on 22 September 2026.
By Mutinta Hamusankwa
