Observation (CEACR) - adopted 1995, published 82nd ILC session (1995)

Employment Service Convention, 1948 (No. 88) - Dominican Republic (Ratification: 1953)

With reference to its previous comments, the Committee takes note of the information provided by the Government in its report.

Articles 4 and 5 of the Convention. The Government states that the National Employment Commission still remains inoperative and that no measures have been adopted in order to assure its functioning. In its previous reports the Government referred to measures contemplated with a view to achieving the technical and institutional reinforcement of the above-mentioned Commission, and in particular to the document of the State Secretariat for Labour concerning the subject. The Committee trusts that the Government will not fail to adopt practical measures, in the very near future, to ensure the operation of the National Employment Commission, in order to give effect to these Articles of the Convention, which provide for the arrangements that shall be made through the advisory committees for the cooperation of representatives of employers and workers in the organization and operation of the employment service and in the development of employment service policy. It asks the Government to provide, in its next report, information on any progress made in this regard.

Articles 6 and 7. The Government indicates once again that the General Directorate of Employment and Human Resources of the State Secretariat for Labour, responsible for organizing a free public employment service, still plays a modest role on the Dominican labour market. It also states that the project entitled "National Employment Plan 1988-90", to which reference was made in the report received in 1989, has not been put into practice due to the lack of financial resources. In its report of 1990 the Government indicated that no adequate measures had been taken over the past few years in order to satisfactorily apply the provisions of these Articles. In this situation the Committee can but reiterate its hope that the Government will adopt appropriate measures, in the very near future, in order to improve the application of the provisions of paragraphs (c) and (e) of Article 6 (concerning the functions of the employment service) and of Article 7 (concerning measures to facilitate within the various employment offices specialization by occupations and by industries and to meet adequately the needs of particular categories of applicants for employment, such as disabled persons).

Article 9. The Committee notes the adoption of the Law on the Civil and Administrative Service No. 14/91, of 20 May 1991, according to which public servants are assured of stability of employment. The Committee notes, however, the provision of section 3, paragraph 1, of the above-mentioned Law, according to which the scope of the law is going to be extended gradually to cover various executive public bodies, in accordance with the order established by the President of the Republic. The Government indicates in this connection that the staff of the State Secretariat for Labour is not yet covered by the provisions of this Law. The Committee hopes that the scope of Law No. 14/91 will be extended in the near future in such a way as to cover the employment service staff, in order to give effect to this Article of the Convention, and asks the Government to provide, in its next report, information on any progress achieved in this regard.

Point IV of the report form. The Committee would be grateful if the Government would continue to provide statistical information on the results of the operation of the public employment service, as required by the report form.