About Us

This division comprises three principal sections: Development, Foreign Relations, and Legal. It is entrusted with the administration and coordination of all matters pertaining to these sections. As a member state of the International Labour Organization (ILO), Sri Lanka maintains active engagement with the organization. Guided by internationally recognized conventions and recommendations, the division is responsible for the formulation of policy decisions aimed at safeguarding labour rights within the country and addressing issues arising in the labour sector. The principal functions undertaken by this division are outlined below:

• Submitting to the International Labour Organization, as required, reports on the progress made in implementing within Sri Lanka the conventions of the ILO that have been ratified by Sri Lanka.
• Informing the international community, as necessary, of the progress achieved by Sri Lanka in relation to the labour sector.
• Taking necessary measures to resolve issues prevailing in the labour sector by obtaining financial and technical assistance from the International Labour Organization.
• Taking appropriate action to update existing labour laws, amend them in line with emerging trends, introduce new laws, implement them, and conduct follow-up reviews.
• Entering into new memoranda of understanding/agreements with foreign counterparts relating to the labour sector, as well as updating and reviewing the effectiveness of existing agreements or understandings.
• Engaging in regional and global dialogues and related activities with foreign stakeholders concerning labour matters, including participation in joint committee meetings.
• Organizing special programmes conducted by the Ministry (such as mobile service programmes).
• Acting as the principal stakeholder for care cooperative programmes implemented with the financial and technical assistance of the International Labour Organization.
• Managing and following up on public complaints referred from the Presidential Secretariat, the Prime Minister’s Office, and the Hon. Minister, as well as those received directly by the Ministry.

Devising plans of the Ministry and all institutions under its purview required for navigating the development plans towards the set targets, and the implementation of them, progress review and follow up thereof are the key functions of this division. In addition, the division executes the following duties as well.

• Preparing, implementing, and reporting on strategic plans and annual action plans in alignment with the national policy framework.
• Preparing the annual action plan, outlining the development goals of the Ministry and its affiliated institutions, and submitting it to the relevant stakeholders and making them implement the plan, at the same time, monitoring and encouraging the achievement of the targets through progress review and follow up thereof.
• Coordinating with the Presidential Secretariat, Ministry of Finance, Department of Project Management and Monitoring and Department of National Planning in terms of National Budget Circular and submission of progress reports monthly and quarterly.
• Identifying and submit project proposals for preparation of annual budget estimates.
• Preparing the annual performance report detailing the progress achieved by the Ministry and submission of progress report for the committee stage debate of the budget.
• Appraising development project proposals related to the curriculum and referring to the Department of National Planning as appropriate.
• Contributing as relevant to action plans implemented by various Ministries.

The core responsibility of the Accounts Division is to take necessary measures for efficient, effective and economical administration of financial resources allocated from the annual budget to the Ministry in compliance with state policies.

• Conducting Annual Board of Survey as per Public Finance Circular 01/2020.
• Preparation of reports related to the agency of the financial authority and carrying out the work of delegation of financial powers.
• Preparation of Annual Budget Estimate.
• Preparation of Annual Financial Statement.
• Preparation of Committee Report on Public Accounts.
• Submission of monthly and quarterly financial reports to the General Treasury and other relevant institutions.
• Updating and maintaining the audit query documents and forwarding the answers to the relevant audit queries to the Auditor General.

The internal audit activities of the Ministry are carried out in terms of as per the appointments made in terms of Section 40 of the National Audit Act to ensure that the responsibility of the Chief Accounting Officer is carried out as set out in Section 38(b) and (f) of the said Act and requirements of Circular No. 01/2019 dated 12/01/2019 of the Department of Management Audit and the powers vested in the Internal Audit Division in terms of FR 133 and FR 134.

The responsibility conducting the relevant internal audit activities of the Ministry of Labour and Departments and Institutions under it and carrying out special investigations as per the requirement also fall under the scope of internal audit.

• Assessing the effectiveness of the internal audit and control system within the organization.
• Examining whether the institutions comply with the Establishment Code of the Government, the Finance Regulations of the Government, and the Finance Regulations and circulars, as well as other supplementary instructions periodically issued by the Ministry of Public Administration and the General Treasury.
• Efficient management of internal audit activities in alignment with the mission and objectives of the Ministry of Labour, its departments, and other affiliated institutions, adhering to audit principles and systems.
• Assessing the control systems established to ensure adherence to policies, plans, procedures, laws, and regulations that may significantly impact the activities of the Ministry.
• Evaluating and verifying the measures taken to protect assets and verify the existence of assets.
• Evaluation of activities or programs and verification of information to ascertain whether physical and financial progress has been achieved in accordance with the established objectives of the Ministry.
• Provide guidance to establish appropriate internal control processes and risk management processes for each division of the organization.
• Communicating findings post-audit and submitting necessary corrections thereafter.
• Preparation and implementation of annual audit plan.
• Making necessary arrangements for the submission of reports to the Department of Management Audit by the due date.
• Convening the Audit and Management Committee meeting and conducting the necessary activities.
• Performing and reporting on specific duties as assigned by management from time to time.