This month, Molly Steward, partner with VANEPS, launches the ‘Collected Employment Laws and Regulations Curaçao 2015’, which she compiled. For this purpose, she presented the first copies of the book this week to Ms. Ruthmilda Larmonie-Cecilia, Minister of Social Development, Employment & Welfare, and to Mr. Evert-Jan van der Poel, President of the Joint Court of Justice, together with counsel Kimberley de l’Isle.

The Minister indicated to be very happy with the issue of the new edition: “I always carry the predecessor of this issue with the collected employment laws and regulations of the Netherlands Antilles with me and I use it regularly. It is convenient to have a new reference work now that contains the employment laws and regulations of Curaçao, and that all amendments to ordinances have been processed in the texts of the original ordinances.”

The President of the Court of Justice discussed the dynamics of employment law, constantly evolving and often tailor-made, upon receiving the book. Not just legislation is a factor, but also the social security benefits on the islands. In this context, it is all the more important to judges to properly interpret and apply reasonableness and fairness. Consequently, possible ways to bring together all stakeholders and to exchange knowledge, experience and views were discussed. VANEPS is now considering how to answer to this need; a symposium to jointly establish the state of affairs in this area is one of the options discussed.

The new manual is the successor of the issue with collected employment laws and regulations of the Netherlands Antilles, also compiled by Molly Steward in 2007. After the political restructuring and the breakup of the Netherlands Antilles in 2010, it was time for a successor that brings together Curaçao employment laws and regulations. For instance, the old ordinances that are still applicable, such as the Vacation Regulation of 1949, have often been amended throughout the years. An orderly and user-friendly overview containing all relevant ordinances, including the amendments, consequently has great added value for everyone involved in employment law.