Namibia's new minister of justice and labor relations, Wise Immanuel, has strongly opposed what he describes as employee exploitation in the country's hotels and restaurants.
Social media last week brought attention to possible unfair work practices at De Duine Hotel in Henties Bay. People criticized the hotel for a rule in work contracts that allowed managers to label daily tips as advance loans and then subtract money from waiters' monthly salaries to recover these funds. Tips beyond a certain amount set by managers would count as extra income for waiters, which raised concerns about fairness and legal issues.
A letter to hotel staff explained that part of all tips received by a waiter would be logged as loans against their pay, up to an amount decided by managers. This amount could change over time. Any tips above the loan amount would remain as extra money for the waiter. For example, if managers set N$1,300 as the loan amount, tips over that sum would belong to the waiter. When people saw this letter on social media, many became outraged.
Yesterday, Immanuel told The Namibian newspaper he had just learned about the situation that morning. He asked the executive director responsible for labor relations to send a team to find facts and check if these claims were true. Under his leadership, he promised, worker welfare would be the main focus for the next five years. If the claims turn out to be true, the Ministry sees this as very serious and will not allow it to continue.
All business owners in Namibia need to wake up to reality, Immanuel warned. The country has started a new chapter that won't tolerate any type of worker abuse or exploitation. The well-being of employees will be the government's main concern for the next five years, starting March 22, 2025. He wants this message heard in every workplace across Namibia.
De Duine Hotel owner Nico van der Westhuizen claimed yesterday the proposal wasn't final. He said it came from trying to follow recent changes to tax laws and new minimum wage rules. "We aren't doing anything illegal. We are still talking with a labor consultant. The law says we must declare all revenue from staff. If we don't, we face problems," he explained.
Van der Westhuizen said they wanted to help staff by letting them access cash daily yet still follow tax requirements. However, the hotel's internal message hinted that tips would be kept, recorded as loans, and only partially given back. He admitted there was backlash on social media but called it misinformation. He claimed someone who didn't have all the facts found the document.
"We're still talking about it. It was just one of several options," he said. He had approved the draft as "an option for discussion" only. "Nobody has to sign the agreement. And even if they don't sign, nobody will lose their job. We care about our employees," he added.
Social media last week brought attention to possible unfair work practices at De Duine Hotel in Henties Bay. People criticized the hotel for a rule in work contracts that allowed managers to label daily tips as advance loans and then subtract money from waiters' monthly salaries to recover these funds. Tips beyond a certain amount set by managers would count as extra income for waiters, which raised concerns about fairness and legal issues.
A letter to hotel staff explained that part of all tips received by a waiter would be logged as loans against their pay, up to an amount decided by managers. This amount could change over time. Any tips above the loan amount would remain as extra money for the waiter. For example, if managers set N$1,300 as the loan amount, tips over that sum would belong to the waiter. When people saw this letter on social media, many became outraged.
Yesterday, Immanuel told The Namibian newspaper he had just learned about the situation that morning. He asked the executive director responsible for labor relations to send a team to find facts and check if these claims were true. Under his leadership, he promised, worker welfare would be the main focus for the next five years. If the claims turn out to be true, the Ministry sees this as very serious and will not allow it to continue.
All business owners in Namibia need to wake up to reality, Immanuel warned. The country has started a new chapter that won't tolerate any type of worker abuse or exploitation. The well-being of employees will be the government's main concern for the next five years, starting March 22, 2025. He wants this message heard in every workplace across Namibia.
De Duine Hotel owner Nico van der Westhuizen claimed yesterday the proposal wasn't final. He said it came from trying to follow recent changes to tax laws and new minimum wage rules. "We aren't doing anything illegal. We are still talking with a labor consultant. The law says we must declare all revenue from staff. If we don't, we face problems," he explained.
Van der Westhuizen said they wanted to help staff by letting them access cash daily yet still follow tax requirements. However, the hotel's internal message hinted that tips would be kept, recorded as loans, and only partially given back. He admitted there was backlash on social media but called it misinformation. He claimed someone who didn't have all the facts found the document.
"We're still talking about it. It was just one of several options," he said. He had approved the draft as "an option for discussion" only. "Nobody has to sign the agreement. And even if they don't sign, nobody will lose their job. We care about our employees," he added.
