Act 2 2026 - Unemployment Relief Scheme Act 2026

[30th March 2026] Unemployment Relief Scheme Act 5 REPUBLIC OF SEYCHELLES SUPPLEMENT TO OFFICIAL GAZETTE ACT UNEMPLOYMENT RELIEF SCHEME ACT, 2026 (Act 2 of 2026) ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS SECTIONS 1. Short title 2. Interpretation 3. Establishment of the Unemployment Relief Scheme 4. Eligibility for participants of Scheme 5. Participation in the Scheme 6. Approved projects 7. Regulations [30th March 2026] Unemployment Relief Scheme Act 6 REPUBLIC OF SEYCHELLES SUPPLEMENT TO OFFICIAL GAZETTE ACT UNEMPLOYMENT RELIEF SCHEME ACT, 2026 (Act 2 of 2026) I assent 24th March, 2026 AN ACT TO PROVIDE FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE UNEMPLOYMENT RELIEF SCHEME AND FOR MATTERS CONNECTED THEREWITH OR INCIDENTAL THERETO. ENACTED BY THE PRESIDENT AND THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY. Short title 1. This Act may be cited as the Unemployment Relief Scheme Act, 2026 and shall come into operation on such date as the Minister may, by notice in the Gazette, appoint. [30th March 2026] Unemployment Relief Scheme Act 7 REPUBLIC OF SEYCHELLES SUPPLEMENT TO OFFICIAL GAZETTE ACT Interpretation 2. In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires — “approved project' means a project approved under section 5; “Chief Executive” means the person acting or discharging the functions of such office in the Ministry responsible for the administration of this Act; “gainful employment” means employment for financial gain or reward otherwise than as a participant of the Scheme in an approved project; “Minister” means the Minister responsible for Employment and Human Resource Planning and the term Ministry shall be construed accordingly; “Scheme” means the Unemployment Relief Scheme established under section 3; “valid reason” means such reason as the Chief Executive considers to be valid in a particular case, and includes distance from the person's home to place of work, old age, ill health, the need to care for young children and previous disagreement with a person offering gainful employment. Establishment of Unemployment and Relief Scheme 3. There shall be established a Scheme to be known as the Unemployment Relief Scheme for the provision of employment opportunities and skills acquisition to persons participating in the scheme.. Eligibility for participants of Scheme 4. A person shall be eligible to become a participant of the Scheme, if the person — (a) is a citizen of Seychelles; (b) is unemployed; and (c) has registered with the Ministry as a person seeking employment. Participation in the Scheme 5.(1) Where a person, eligible to become a participant of the Scheme under section 4, has failed to utilise the opportunity for other gainful employment; or placement on other special employment programmes offered by the Ministry or has been offered any other gainful employment and has refused the offer without a valid reason, the person shall cease to be eligible to become a participant of the Scheme for a period of twelve months from the date of failure or refusal, as the case may be. (2) Where a participant of the Scheme has, during the period in which the person is a participant, failed without a valid reason to utilise the opportunity for other gainful [30th March 2026] Unemployment Relief Scheme Act 8 REPUBLIC OF SEYCHELLES SUPPLEMENT TO OFFICIAL GAZETTE ACT employment or has been offered any other gainful employment and has refused , the participant shall cease to continue as a participant of the Scheme for a period of twelve months from the date of failure or refusal, as the case may be. (3) The Chief Executive shall within 14 days decide in writing, whether a person has failed to utilise the opportunity for other gainful employment without a valid reason or refused to accept an offer of any other gainful employment without a valid reason, and the decision of the Chief Executive shall be served on that person. (4) Any person aggrieved by a decision of the Chief Executive under subsection (3) may within 14 days of the date of service of the decision appeal to the Minister against the decision and the Minister may affirm or vary the decision of the Chief Executive. (5) The Chief Executive may review the decision regarding continuation of a person as a participant of the Scheme upon showing good reasons for non-utilisation of the opportunity . (6) The Chief Executive may review or cause to be reviewed the need by a person to continue as a participant of the Scheme upon the expiration of six months period, of the person's participation in the Scheme; Provided that the Chief Executive may dispense with the period of 6 months specified under subsection (6), for good reasons. (7) For the purposes of this section “other gainful employment” means any other gainful employment other than employment in an approved project. Approved projects 6. The Minister may approve projects on which employment may be generated and provided to the participants of the Scheme under this Act. Regulations 7. The Minister may make regulations for carrying out the provisions of this Act and without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing, the Minister may make regulations prescribing — (a) the terms and conditions of the Unemployment Relief Scheme established under section 3; (b) the minimum hours of work on an approved project of the Scheme; (c) the minimum hours of work of the Scheme; (d) the rates of payment to the participants of the Scheme; (e) the manner in which applications may be submitted by the persons to participate in the Scheme; [30th March 2026] Unemployment Relief Scheme Act 9 REPUBLIC OF SEYCHELLES SUPPLEMENT TO OFFICIAL GAZETTE ACT (f) the eligibility criteria for the Scheme; (g) the participation in mandatory activities of the Scheme; and (h) the rules for compliance and enforcement of the Scheme. I certify that this is a correct copy of the Bill which was passed by the National Assembly on 17th March, 2026. Mrs. Tania Isaac Clerk to the National Assembly