Eight charges, including failure to give notice of termination and to pay severance, were yesterday laid against Guyana Stores Limited by the Department of Labour on behalf of two former porters who were dismissed by the company.
The charges were read to Cedric Deane, who represented the company, by acting Chief Magistrate Sherdel Isaacs-Marcus in a Georgetown court.
It is alleged that Guyana Stores Limited on December 14th, 2018, being the employer of Kevin McCauley, who was employed as a porter and paid on a monthly basis, failed to give a notice of termination to him.
It was also alleged that the company failed to pay severance in the sum of $119,340, being benefits due to McCauley on December 14th, 2018. It is also alleged that the company failed to pay him the sum of $53,040 in benefits owed to him on the same day.
Similarly, in the case of Andre Thomas, who was employed as a porter, the company was charged with failing to give notice of his termination on December 14th, 2018.
It is further alleged that on the very date the company failed to pay Thomas the sum of $53,040, in benefits owed to him as well as the sum of $119,340 in in severance owed to him.
It is alleged that the company between January 14th, 2019 and January 29th, 2019, being the employer of McCauley and Thomas, the company failed, on application by Lenise Duncan, a labour officer, to produce records of wages for both McCauley and Thomas
Not guilty pleas were entered by the company’s representative.
The attorney representing the interest of the company told the court that based on the instructions he received, the matter is not likely to be before the court much longer.
With no objections by the prosecutor, Deane was released on his own recognisance and the matter adjourned until June 24th.
