Worker upset over severance package

A FORMER employee of a Windhoek earth-moving and transport firm is up in arms after he received a severance package of N$2 000 after 40 years of service.

However, Rousseau & Sons has said that money owed to them by Simon Katjigo had been deducted from his package. Katjigo, who started working for the company in 1964, told The Namibian that he stopped working for the firm in January on his doctor’s advice.The Personnel Manager at Rousseau & Sons, Amanda Rousseau, told The Namibian that the company did not want to comment on Katjigo’s complaint.She referred queries to Labour Inspector Aaron Seibeb, at the Ministry of Labour.Seibeb said the matter had been reported to his office.He said according to correspondence from the company, Katjigo should have received a severance package of N$19 000.However, N$17 000 was deducted for money that Katjigo owed the company.In letter to the Manager of Rousseau & Sons, Seibeb said it was against the Labour Act for an employer to subtract all the money owed by an employee at once.He said an employer could only subtract one-third of severance pay or pension money.”This means that the amount of N$17 000 deducted from N$19 000 is far greater than one-third,” said Seibeb.Katjigo, who started working for the company in 1964, told The Namibian that he stopped working for the firm in January on his doctor’s advice.The Personnel Manager at Rousseau & Sons, Amanda Rousseau, told The Namibian that the company did not want to comment on Katjigo’s complaint.She referred queries to Labour Inspector Aaron Seibeb, at the Ministry of Labour.Seibeb said the matter had been reported to his office.He said according to correspondence from the company, Katjigo should have received a severance package of N$19 000.However, N$17 000 was deducted for money that Katjigo owed the company.In letter to the Manager of Rousseau & Sons, Seibeb said it was against the Labour Act for an employer to subtract all the money owed by an employee at once.He said an employer could only subtract one-third of severance pay or pension money.”This means that the amount of N$17 000 deducted from N$19 000 is far greater than one-third,” said Seibeb.