Information regarding the Department of Industrial and Employment Relations
(persuant to Article 17 of the Freedom of Information Act)
Click here to access the Organisational Chart
Mission Statement, Functions & Structure
The mission statement of the Department of Industrial and Employment Relations (DIER) is to protect the interests of workers holding employment contracts while, in a spirit of social partnership, actively promote a healthy relationship and contribute towards stable industrial relations. This remit is achievable through the enforcement of the Employment and Industrial Relations Act (EIRA), which was approved by Parliament in December 2002 and set out the framework for the adoption of the EU Labour Acquis. It also established the responsibilities of the Director responsible for the implementation and enforcement of this Act and subsidiary legislation. The Director General thus has overall responsibility for the functions carried out by the Department, which are hereby described:
The Structure of the Department is made up of the Office
of the Director General and four units namely the Support Services Unit,
the Investigative Unit, the Legislative, International Affairs & Research
Unit and the Customer Support Unit.
The Director General,
Industrial & Employment Relations being also the Head of
Department is responsible for the whole strategic overview of the Department’s
operations and functions. She is aided by two Assistant Directors.
who are responsible for the four units that compose the DIER.
The Director General's
office is in addition responsible for the registration of Trade Unions; and
employers’ associations, the provision of machinery for the voluntary
settlement of trade disputes in terms of the Act and promoting such settlement and
the preparation of draft employment legislation.
Investigative Unit
This unit is responsible
for monitoring conditions of employment and processing complaints of workers
who are still in employment. This involves an ongoing programme of
inspections to target particular sectors or to investigate specific complaints.
This unit also investigates complaints of employees whose employment has been
terminated, whether of their own accord or by the employer and is also
responsible for referral of cases to the Law Courts.
Customer Support Unit
This unit provides customer care services to employees
/employers who have queries and complaints regarding conditions of employment.
Such queries and complaints can be received directly from the person concerned
(walk-ins), through correspondence, via e-mail or even anonymously.
Legislative, International Affairs &
Research Unit
This unit maintains contacts at technical level with
Governments and other international bodies including the E.U., the European
Labour Authority and the International Labour Organisation. It coordinates
closely with local associations and organisations which have a role to fulfil
in protecting the interests of parties engaged under an employment contract.
This unit is also responsible for labour research, library and archives and the
registration of employment agencies.
Support Services Unit
This unit provides for
administrative support services to the whole Department including the
administration of the department’s budget, revenue and expenditure, issuance
and adjustment of salaries and honoraria payments to Board members,
administration of PMPs, progressions, allowances, , the departmental inventory,
supplies’ stores etc. Through its Green Leader, this Branch also oversees
environmental issues within the DIER. Other tasks taken up by this Branch
include the implementation of the Freedom of Information Act and health and
safety issues at Departmental level. The Department also offers support
services to the Industrial Tribunal
Implementation of the Freedom of Information Act
The DIER’s administrative offices are at No. 121, Melita Street, Valletta. Any Freedom of Information related application or complaint delivered by hand should hence be forwarded to this address where the offices of Ms. Diane Vella-Muscat, Freedom of Information Officer (FOIO) and Mr Anthony Azzopardi, alternate FOIO are situated.
Working hours are between 0700hrs and 1600hrs for the period 1st October to 15th June and between 0700hrs and 1300hrs for the summer period between 16th June and 30th September. FOI requests may be submitted by sending an e-mail to foi.dier@gov.mt, through the FOI portal www.foi.gov.mt via the e-ID or through the online form.
If an applicant for information is in this regard unsatisfied with the reply received from the DIER, s/he may forward a complaint in terms of the Department’s Internal Complaints Procedure. This applies if the Department fails to meet the deadlines or send the relevant notifications. A complaint may therefore be lodged by email to: foi.dier@gov.mt, through the FOI portal www.foi.gov.mt via the e-ID or through the online form. The FOI Officer shall inform the complainant about the outcome of his/her complaint within 10 working days and inform about the possibility to lodge an appeal with the Information and Data Protection Commissioner (IDPC) in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act, Cap. 496.
Categories of Documents held by the DIER
Director General’s Office
Documentation on National Policy formulation, Internal
Policies, Trade Disputes and Registration of Trade Unions and Employers
Associations.
Investigative Unit
Documentation regarding Inspectorate
and Terminations queries and investigations, Employers' inspected and under
investigation, Director's Permits, Approvals and Authorisations
(Authorisation in respect of Fines [Article 19 of EIRA], Permissions
for the employment of Minors [L.N. 440 of 2003], Approvals for temporary
less favourable conditions of employment [Article 42 of EIRA]), Notifications
to Director (Posting of Workers, Collective Redundancies, etc), Verification of
Trade Unions membership.
Customer Support Unit
Documentation regarding customer queries and complaints
such as employment contracts, employment history, engagement/termination forms
payslips etc.
Legislative, International Affairs &
Research Unit
Documentation regarding E.U., the European Labour Authority
and ILO such as briefing notes, memos and position papers.
Support Services Unit
Personal Files and documentation relating to
Procurement, Accounts, HR matters, and Self-Employed Loan
Scheme. Documents related to Industrial Tribunal cases.