As is well known, the Peruvian economy has been slowing down at a more pronounced rate than the initial estimates of both the Government and the private sector, and this due to both internal and external factors, in the economic and geopolitical fields.
It is in this context that the Government has undertaken a series of measures to reactivate the economy, some of them quite controversial, such as the reduction of labor fines.
The Permanent Commission of the Congress of the Republic approved at the beginning of July of this year, the substitute text of the bill that modifies the Law of Safety and Health at Work, which provides that for a period of three years the labor fines They must not be greater than 35% of what is applied after evaluating the reason for the sanction.
According to the proposal, the temporary measure of the limit of labor fines will not be applied for very serious offenses that also seriously affect freedom of association and trade union freedom, and the provisions referring to the elimination of discrimination in employment and occupation.
Nor will it be given for infractions referring to the contravention of the current regulations on the protection of the work of children and adolescents, among others.
Regarding this reduction in labor fines, I think that it is counterproductive and ineffective as an element of reactivation of the economy, because in my opinion the most important thing is to promote a culture of compliance with obligations by companies, towards consumers offering quality products and services at fair prices, without misleading advertising, also complying with its workers by paying fair wages, providing them with good working conditions and also complying with the State by paying its taxes and other obligations in accordance with the Law, acting in this way with justice, transparency and social responsibility.
In this way, with a culture of compliance in companies, we can achieve a significant and sustainable improvement over time in the products and services that companies offer us, an improvement in the work environment in companies, which will influence a greater productivity, with workers more committed and identified with the organizational objectives, which will provide the State with the necessary resources to fully comply with its obligations to citizens.
In this regard, I must emphasize that if private and public companies and organizations fully comply with their labor obligations as they are entitled by law and also as modern organizations of the XXI century where the human factor is the most important asset of any organization, They shouldn't worry about the issue of labor fines.
Due to the above, I consider it inappropriate to reduce the labor fines to the offending companies, because doing so would create a bad precedent and reduce the credibility and authority of the Peruvian government in its effort to achieve a change of consciousness in companies oriented to the development of a culture of compliance with its obligations.
