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

Belize

Weekly Rest (Industry) Convention, 1921 (No. 14) (Ratification: 1999)
Night Work (Women) Convention (Revised), 1948 (No. 89) (Ratification: 1983)

In order to provide a comprehensive view of the issues relating to the application of ratified Conventions on working time, the Committee considers it appropriate to examine Conventions Nos 14 (weekly rest (industry)), and 89 (night work of women) together.

Weekly rest

Articles 4 of the Convention. Total or partial exceptions. The Committee notes that section 119(2) of the Labour Act (as revised in 2020) allows the Minister to exempt by Order from the granting of weekly rest entitlements any undertaking, business or establishment or any part thereof or any class of workers, subject to such conditions as may be specified in such Order. With regard to the foregoing, the Committee recalls the importance of keeping recourse to authorized exceptions to the normal 24-hour weekly rest period to what is strictly necessary, and for such exceptions to be authorized under clearly specified conditions, having special regard to all proper humanitarian and economic considerations and after consultation with employers’ and workers’ organizations (2018 General Survey concerning working-time instruments, paras 226 and 260). The Committee requests the Government to bring the Labour Act in line with these requirements. The Committee further requests the Government to indicate whether orders under section 119 of the Labour Act or any other orders have been issued and if so, to indicate what categories of business, undertakings and workers have been exempted from weekly rest entitlements, and under which conditions these exceptions were made. It also requests the Government to communicate any new legislation adopted on this subject.

Article 5. Compensatory rest. The Committee notes that section 118(1)(c) of the Labour Act provides that if workers work for and at the request of their employers on a Sunday or other agreed rest day, they shall be paid wages for such extra work. The Committee observes that the Labour Act does not provide for compensatory periods of rest in case of work during weekly rest periods. Recalling that the rationale for compensatory rest is the need to protect the workers’ health and well-being, the Committee emphasizes the importance that any financial compensation is in addition to, and not in lieu of, the requisite compensatory rest. The Committee requests the Government to indicate the measures adopted or envisaged to ensure that as far as possible, provision is made for compensatory periods of rest in case of exceptional work during weekly rest periods.

Night work

Article 3 of the Convention. General prohibition of night work for women. The Committee notes that section 161(1)(a) of the Labour Act prohibits the night work of women. The Committee also notes that the Labour Act provides for exceptions from this principle (sections 162(1) and 162(5)). In this regard, the Committee wishes to recall that protective measures applicable to women’s employment at night which go beyond maternity protection and are based on stereotyped perceptions regarding women’s professional abilities and role in society, violate the principle of equality of opportunity and treatment between men and women in occupation and employment (2018 General Survey concerning working-time instruments, para. 545). The Committee draws the Government’s attention to the fact that Convention No. 89 will be open for denunciation between 27 February 2031 and 27 February 2032.