Employment of Women, Young Persons and Children (Amendment) Act, No. 2 of 2021

1. This Act may be cited as the Employment of Women, Short title Young Persons and Children (Amendment) Act, No. 2 of 2021.

2. Section 3 of the Employment of Women, Young Amendment of section 3 of Act, Persons and Children Act, No. 47 of 1956 (hereinafter referred No. 47 of 1956 to as the “principal enactment”) is hereby amended as follows:- (1) in subsection (3) thereof, by the substitution for the words “male young persons who have attained the age of sixteen years but are under the age of eighteen years ” of the words “male young persons”; (2) in subsection (4) thereof, by the substitution for the words “persons between the ages of sixteen and eighteen years” of the words “young persons”; and (3) in subsection (5) thereof, by the substitution for the words “persons between the ages of sixteen and eighteen years” of the words “young persons,”.

3. Section 4 of the principal enactment is hereby Amendment of section 4 of the amended in subsection (1) thereof, by the substitution for the principal words “ a person who has attained the age of sixteen years enactment but is under the age of eighteen years ” of the words “a young person”. 2 Employment of Women, Young Persons and Children (Amendment) Act, No. 2 of 2021 Amendment of 4. Section 9 of the principal enactment is hereby section 9 of the amended as follows:-. principal enactment (1) in subsection (1) of that section- (a) in paragraph (a) thereof, by the substitution for the words “fifteen years” of the words “sixteen years”; and (b) in paragraph (b) thereof, by the substitution for the words “fifteen years” of the words “sixteen years”; (2) in paragraph (b) of subsection (2) thereof, by the substitution for the words “fifteen years” of the words “sixteen years”; and (3) by the repeal of subsection (3) of that section. Repeal of 5. Section 10 of the principal enactment is hereby section 10 of the repealed. principal enactment Amendment of 6. Section 20 of the principal enactment is amended as section 20 of the follows:- principal enactment (1) in subsection (1) thereof, by the substitution for the words “No child or young person who has not attained the age of 16 years” of the words “No child”; (2) in subsection (2) thereof, by the substitution for the words “No person who has attained the age of fourteen years but is under the age of eighteen years” of the words “No young person”; and (3) in subsection (4) thereof, by the substitution for the words “a person who has attained the age of sixteen years but is under the age of eighteen years” of the words “a young person”. Employment of Women, Young Persons and 3 Children (Amendment) Act, No. 2 of 2021

7. Section 34 of the principal enactment is hereby Amendment of section 34 of the amended as follows:- principal (1) in subsection (1) thereof- enactment (a) by the substitution for the definition of the expression “child” of the following definition:- “child” means a person who is under the age of sixteen years;”; (b) in paragraph (c) of the definition of the expression “industrial undertaking” by the substitution for the words “fourteen years” of the words “sixteen years”; (c) by the substitution for the definition of the expression “night” of the following definition:- “night”— (a) with reference to the employment of women, means atleast eleven consecutive hours including the period between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m.; and (b) with reference to the employment of persons under the age of eighteen years, means at least twelve consecutive hours which shall end not later than 6 a.m. and which- (i) in the case of such of those persons as have attained the age of sixteen years, shall, subject to the provisions of sub- paragraph (ii), include atleast seven consecutive hours falling between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m.; and 4 Employment of Women, Young Persons and Children (Amendment) Act, No. 2 of 2021 (ii) in the case of such of those persons as have attained the age of sixteen years and are undergoing vocational training in the baking industry or are apprentices in that industry, shall, if work during the night in that industry prohibited for all workers, include the seven consecutive hours falling between 9 p.m. and 4 a.m., instead of the period of atleast seven consecutive hours referred to in sub-paragraph (i) if the Minister by Order published in the Gazette so directs;”; (d) by the substitution for the definition of the expression “young person” of the following definition:- “young person” means a person who has attained the age of sixteen years but is under the age of eighteen years.”; and (2) in paragraph (a) of subsection (2) thereof, by the substitution for the words “fourteen years” of the words “sixteen years”. Sinhala text to 8. In the event of any inconsistency between the Sinhala prevail in case of inconsistency and Tamil texts of this Act, the Sinhala text shall prevail. Employment of Women, Young Persons and 5 Children (Amendment) Act, No. 2 of 2021 English Acts of the Parliament can be purchased at the “PRAKASHANA PIYASA”, DEPARTMENT OF GOVERNMENT PRINTING, NO. 118, DR. DANISTER DE SILVA MAWATHA, COLOMBO 8.