On Tuesday, April 5, President Uhuru Kenyatta signed five parliamentary bills into law, including the Employment (Amendment) Bill, 2019.
Nominated MP Gideon Keter sponsored the bill. It has been appreciated by job seekers for making the job search process easy.
According to a statement by the Honorable Keter, when he introduced the bill in Parliament “Members of Parliament have unanimously supported the Employment Amendment Bill without any objection as the debate is over. Earlier as job seekers would remember, Before this amendment was introduced, job-seekers were entrusted with the responsibility of conducting criminal background checks on themselves in order to secure only job interviews,” Keter pointed out.
“However, now a treatment has come through this amendment whereby the employer will not see the job seekers as criminals before applying for the job. The solution to all these hurdles is that the employer will no longer charge KRA from the job seekers. , will not ask for documents like DCI, HELB, CRB and EACC clearance certificates unless the offer of employment is guaranteed.” he added
“Job hunt should not be an adventure where job seekers have to prove that they are not criminals or involved in any crime in the past. This country is not graduating criminals from universities and colleges every year These are young men and women who are ready to offer their skills and knowledge for the progress of the greatness of this country. Keter said.
Employers will only be able to request withdrawal certificates from bodies such as the Higher Education Loan Board (HELB) and Directorate of Criminal Investigation (DCI) once a job is offered, as employers now require potential employees to submit withdrawal certificates. Is. Part of the application process.
Because of the charges associated with applying for these certifications, job seekers often end up spending money in useless job searches.
“In relation to recruitment, an employer shall not require an employee to submit any withdrawal certificate for a contract of service for which payment is required unless such employer enters into a written contract of service with the employee.” does not intend to do,” the law reads in part.
It was presented to the President for signature by Solicitor General Kennedy Ogeto in a brief ceremony attended by Treasury CS Ukur Yatani, Attorney General Paul Kihara and National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi.
Amos Kimunya, Leader of the Majority in the National Assembly, Kanini Kega, Chairman of the Committee on Budget and Appropriations in the National Assembly, and Michael Sialai, Clerk of the National Assembly, were also present.
“On its part, the new Employment (Amendment) Act relieves job seekers by requiring employers to seek clearance or compliance certificates only when they offer employment to a potential employee”. Previously, potential employees were required to obtain such documents during job applications,” the president’s office read in part.
Keter, who sponsored the bill, welcomed the culmination of the process.
“It is now finished, as you asked, I have delivered. The law which had red tape and was causing unnecessary hindrance in the search for job opportunity, has been cured,” he wrote.
Uhuru Kenyatta signed into law five at the State House, Nairobi on Monday.
Other parliamentary bills signed into law by President Uhuru were the Supplementary I Appropriation Bill of 2022 (Supplemental Budget), the 2021 Copyright (Amendment) Bill, the 2020 Kenya Deposit Insurance (Amendment) Bill and the 2022 Industrial Training (Amendment) Bill.
