Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2010, published 100th ILC session (2011)

Employment Service Convention, 1948 (No. 88) - Lebanon (Ratification: 1977)

Contribution of the employment service to employment promotion. The Committee notes the Government’s report received in October 2009, in reply to the 2005 direct request and also the attached documentation. The Government indicates that the National Employment Agency has opened three employment offices in Beirut, Saida and Tripoli. It also indicates that tripartite negotiations are in progress with regard to the opening of four new offices, which will cover other parts of the country. The Government also points out that, with regard to statistics on the activities of regional offices, no data are available at present. The Committee requests the Government to continue to supply information on the progress made in creating a network of employment offices sufficient in number to meet the specific requirements of jobseekers and employers throughout the country (Article 3 of the Convention). It hopes that the next report will also contain statistical information on the number of public employment offices established, the number of applications for employment received, the number of vacancies notified and the number of persons placed in employment by such offices.

Participation of the social partners. The Government indicates that the administrative board of the National Employment Agency is the decision-making body responsible for establishing the Agency’s work programmes. The board is chaired by the Minister of Labour and includes representatives of the employers and workers. The Committee requests the Government to provide more detailed information on the cooperation of the social partners in the organization, operation and development of the National Employment Agency, and in the development of an employment service policy.

Measures to protect migrant workers. The Government provides information on the adoption of a set of measures aimed at protecting migrant workers, including a guide for migrant domestic workers, Decree No. 38/1 of 16 March 2009 concerning the establishment of a single model contract for migrant workers, and Decree No. 52/1 of 28 April 2009 concerning the extension of health insurance to all migrant workers. A working party was established by means of Memorandum No. 8/1 of 20 January 2008, whose tasks include monitoring the activities of agencies involved in the placement of migrant workers and investigating complaints lodged by domestic workers. The Government indicates that the activities of employment agencies are restricted to the placement of migrant domestic workers and that Decree No. 13/1 of 22 January 2009 regulates the activities of employment agencies specialized in the recruitment of domestic workers. The Government also indicates that, in the context of labour exchange and in order to guarantee the protection of the migrant workers’ rights, bilateral agreements with a number of governments have been concluded and an agreement and draft protocol are in the process of being concluded with the Government of the Philippines. The Committee reminds the Government of the need for the employment service to take appropriate measures to facilitate the movement of migrant workers (Article 6(b)(iv) of the Convention). The Committee requests the Government to indicate the measures taken to ensure the protection of categories of migrant workers other than domestic workers working in its territory.