Observation (CEACR) - adopted 2025, published 114th ILC session (2026)

Minimum Age Convention, 1973 (No. 138) - Grenada (Ratification: 2003)

The Committee notes the observations of the Grenada Employers Federation (GEF) and the Grenada Trade Unions Council (GTUC), communicated with the Government’s report.

Article 7 of the Convention. Light work. The Committee previously noted that under section 32(1) of the Employment Act no minimum age nor hours and conditions of work are fixed for the “holiday job employment” of persons under 16 years of age.

The Committee notes with regret the absence of any new information from the Government’s report regarding the Committee’s previous request to provide information on any progress made in the adoption of measures to ensure that the exemptions from the general prohibition of child labour for persons under 16 years of age are only performed under the conditions provided for by Article 7 of the Convention. The Committee also takes note of the observations from the GEF and the GTUC, pointing out the need to define the parameters within which children under 16 years should be engaged in light work.

The Committee once again draws the Government’s attention to the fact that Article 7(1) of the Convention is a flexibility clause, which provides that national laws or regulations may permit the employment or work of persons aged 13–15 years in light work activities that are not likely to be harmful to their health or development and not such as to prejudice their attendance at school, their participation in vocational orientation or training programmes approved by the competent authority, or their capacity to benefit from the instruction received. It also recalls that, under Article 7(3) of the Convention, the competent authority shall determine the activities in which light work may be permitted and shall prescribe the number of hours during which, and the conditions under which, such employment or work may be undertaken. Moreover, in giving effect to Article 7(3) of the Convention, special attention should be given to several key indicators, including the strict limitation of the hours spent at work in a day and in a week, the prohibition of overtime, the granting of a minimum consecutive period of 12 hours night’s rest, and the maintenance of satisfactory standards of safety and health and appropriate instruction and supervision (see 2012 General Survey on the fundamental Conventions, para. 396). The Committee once again requests the Government to take the necessary measures to ensure that “holiday job employment” provided for in section 32(1) of the Employment Act for persons under 16 years of age is only performed by those aged 13 years and above and under the conditions provided for by Article 7(3) of the Convention. It once again requests the Government to provide information on any progress made in this regard.