Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2014, published 104th ILC session (2015)

Employment Service Convention, 1948 (No. 88) - Bahamas (Ratification: 1976)

Articles 1 and 6 of the Convention. Contribution of the employment service to employment promotion. The Committee notes the Government’s report received in November 2013, in reply to its 2012 direct request. The Government indicates that efforts are ongoing in order to increase the number of public employment offices; since the report submitted in November 2012, one of such offices has opened on the island of New Providence and there are plans to establish two additional ones on that same island. The Committee also notes that, between 1 October 2012 and 30 September 2013, there were 11,576 women (2,512 new registrants and 9,064 returning ones) and 7,643 men (1,845 new registrants and 5,798 returning ones) registered in the Employment/Labour Exchange. During that same period, 2,059 women and 1,872 men were referred to vacant positions, out of which 278 and 134 were respectively placed in employment. Furthermore, the Government reports that a National Training Agency was established in the third quarter of 2013 in order to help equip jobseekers with skills that would enable them to obtain employment (either via the country’s free public employment service or independently). The Committee invites the Government to provide information on the operation of the public employment offices and their activities in carrying out effective recruitment and placement. It also invites the Government to continue to provide statistical information concerning 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 (Part IV of the report form).

Articles 4 and 5. Participation of the social partners. The Committee takes note of the Government’s indications concerning the involvement of the social partners in the establishment of the abovementioned National Training Agency. The Committee would welcome examining further examples of the involvement of the social partners in the activities of the public employment services. It therefore invites the Government to provide information on the measures adopted, in collaboration with the social partners to ensure the effective functioning of a free public employment service.

Articles 7 and 8. Measures for particular categories of applicants for employment. The Government indicates that the National Training Agency is designed to help meet adequately the needs of particular categories of applicants for employment. It adds that in the first instance the target group of the Agency is that of young persons up to 29 years of age. The Committee invites the Government to provide particulars concerning the arrangements made to meet adequately the needs of persons with disabilities and young persons.