Business community urged to practise good record keeping

The business community has been encouraged to practise good record keeping.

At a seminar hosted by the Chamber of Industry and Commerce and the National Insurance Services (NIS) last Tuesday, the representatives of both the Labour Department and the National Insurance Services (NIS) reminded those present of the benefits of good record keeping.{{more}}

In her address, labour commissioner Narissa Gittens-McMillan said every opportunity she gets she speaks about record keeping.

“It makes your job and mine at the Labour Department a whole lot easier and less stressful if you, as employers, managers, owners, would just take an extra five minutes per day and set the records straight,” she said.

“When a former employee comes to the department with a complaint and he or she makes a claim, if the employer doesn’t have anything to counter that, whose word do we take?” asked Gittens-McMillan.

She then encouraged the participants to avoid this predicament by keeping good records.

“If you would just do the necessary, do the basic, it would save you and save us.”

Also speaking at the opening of the seminar, which was held to discuss the implications of the Occupational Health and Safety Bill 2016, was deputy executive director of the NIS, Dr Mineva Glasgow, who said that poor documentation is a major issue faced by the NIS. “One of the major issues that we currently face relates to poor documentation,” she said.

Glasgow highlighted the benefits of good record keeping.

“When you keep good records, it helps you to assess the economic consequences and the common types of accidents at your workplace and affords you the opportunity to devise better accident prevention strategies for future minimization or elimination of work accidents.”

She also pointed out some of the advantages of record keeping to employees and expressed her organization’s optimism about the Occupational Health and Safety Bill.

“It can help to improve employee awareness, enhance their morale and ultimately lead to improved productivity.

“We believe that the Occupational Health and Safety Bill is a step in the right direction.”(CA)