Sri Lanka‘s authorities has defended a prime diplomat ordered by an Australian courtroom to pay over $360,000 in again wages to her former housekeeper held in Canberra beneath “slavery-type conditions”.
Colombo’s overseas ministry in Colombo stated Himalee Arunatilaka, presently Sri Lanka’s everlasting consultant to the UN in Geneva, together with the International Labour Organization, had adopted government-approved charges in paying low wages.
Arunatilaka had beforehand been Colombo’s Deputy High Commissioner in Canberra for 3 years, up till 2018.
The Federal Court of Australia on Thursday discovered Arunatilaka had breached the Fair Work Act and was not entitled to diplomatic immunity.
Australian media experiences stated the courtroom ordered Arunatilaka to pay greater than Aus$540,000 in again wages and curiosity to Priyanka Danaratna.
“She worked seven days a week for three years, and she had two days off in that entire time – and she did that because she burned her hand while preparing some food,” her lawyer David Hillard was quoted as saying.
She was not given unpaid breaks, not paid time beyond regulation or penalty charges, and never paid recurrently or issued payslips.
“It’s an example of how modern slavery works,” he stated.
The courtroom was informed that Danaratna was paid a complete of Aus$11,212 for 3 years of labor, whereas the nationwide minimal wage for a 38-hour week was Aus$656.90.
After working away from the diplomatic compound, Danaratna had sought refuge with the Salvation Army.
However, Sri Lanka’s overseas ministry stated wages paid to the maid have been at charges authorized by Colombo.
“The allowance approved by the ministry as the salary of the employee has been paid to her,” the ministry assertion stated.
“The ministry is satisfied that the said salary was paid to the domestic assistant by the employer as mutually agreed.”
The assertion came to visit the weekend after criticism on social media and requires the federal government to answer the Australian courtroom.
Source: www.anews.com.tr