As part of its 50th Anniversary Celebration activities, the Malta Employers’ Association is organising a half day conference with the theme: The Future Labour Market in Malta. The aim of this conference is to address major issues facing the current and future labour market in Malta. The conference shall be addressed by leading local experts in the field and we shall be honoured to be joined by Mr. Aurélio Cecilio from the European Commission who shall deliver a presentation about the changing EU labour market.
The conference shall also be addressed by the Hon. Dr. Joseph Muscat, Prime Minister of Malta and the Hon. Dr. Simon Busuttil, Leader of the Opposition.
This event is being organised as part of the MEA EQUIP project and financed by the European Social Fund.
View the full programme here.
Registration is free of charge but shall be subject to a first come first served basis. Therefore early booking is recommended.
For registration, please return the registration form duly filled in to [email protected].
As part of the SME Week 2015, the Malta Employers’ Association in collaboration with the Ministry for the Economy, Investment and Small Business is organising a Business Breakfast: How is the digital economy changing the role of employers?.
Click here for further details.
A public dialogue is being organized by the Office of Dr Miriam Dalli, MEP in collaboration with the Malta Employers’ Association and the General Retailers and Traders Union with the participation of Elzbieta Bienkowska, European Commissioner for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs.
The event entitled “Maltese micro-enterprises: How to thrive in an EU environment” will take place on 24 September 2015. Participants and attendees are welcome to join at 1330 for coffee and networking.
The main focus of the discussion will be the current state of actions and support for SMEs and microenterprises at EU level and its implications on Maltese legislation. We will deal with the completion of the single market for goods and services, on the elimination of trade barriers in Europe, while the Commissioner will be able to give better insight on the ways and means to support start-ups in Europe. The debate will also touch upon supporting family businesses; issues of bureaucracy and better regulation; financing SME and microenterprises projects; industrial relations; aspects of social inclusion and disabled workers in microenterprises and finally, apprenticeship in microenterprises.
Members are encouraged to actively participate in this event with their questions and interventions in the presence of the Commissioner herself who is looking forward to have access to such first-hand experiences.
Registration is free but booking is necessary.
As part of the SME Week 2015, the Malta Employers’ Association in collaboration with the Ministry for the Economy, Investment and Small Business is organising an Information Session: Family Businesses in Malta – are they all pro-digital?. Click here for further details.
In the last budget speech, the Minister for Finance, Prof. Edward Scicluna announced that:
‘Those who employ persons with a disability shall be exempted from payment of National Insurance and it shall be possible to deduct from taxes on profits the equivalent of the pay of the disabled person. The maximum credit shall be of no more than €4,500 for every disabled person.
The 2% regulation shall be implemented: since 1967, our country had a law which stipulates that any company employing more than 20 persons needs to have at least 2% of its employees with a disability. It is common knowledge that this law is hardly implemented or enforced.
We understand that there exist places of work where it is more challenging to employ disabled persons. However we need to send a strong and bold message.
In the case of companies, which we hope will be a minority, who will not employ the legal minimum of disabled persons…… the employer shall be asked to pay an annual contribution of €2,400 for each disabled person which should be employed. The maximum contribution shall be of €10k per company. For 2015, employers shall contribute one third of the due amount, which shall go up to two thirds in 2016 and the full amount shall be collected in 2017’.
What are the implications of this budget measure on your business?
The Malta Employers’ Association shall be organising an information session on Thursday, 30th July, to answer these questions, and top officials from the Employment and Training Corporation shall deliver a presentation about the current state of affairs in the employment of disabled persons and how the measures as announced in the budget speech shall be implemented.
Downlaod the brochure for further info.
Following the success of the course: Workplace Health & Wellbeing which was organised between January and March 2015, the Malta Employers’ Association shall be organising a focus group for MEA members on Tuesday, 5th May 2015.
The Focus Group shall be moderated by Ms. Stelmart Khalil, who also delivered the course. Attendance is limited to a maximum of 15 persons.
During this session, there will be an exchange of views and experiences on issues related to mental well-being at the workplace, such as identifying stress factors and dealing with employees who encounter mental health issues. This is a topic which is becoming increasingly important in human resources management.
Click here to view the event’s brochure.
MEA has circulated information about the launch of TAF2, which makes available EU funds for training held between January and June 2015.
Following various requests, MEA organised an information session about this scheme for our members. Ms. Olivia Farrugia, EU Funded Schemes – Head of Division, from the Employment & Training Corporation gave a presentation to explain the Training Aid Framework.
The Malta Employers’ Association decided to once again participate in the European SME week, organized by the European Commission.
The MEA held an SME Business Clinic Workshop Session during a Conference organized by the European Commission in collaboration with the Ministry for the Economy, Investment and Small Business.
SMEs had the possibility to be coached and diagnosed by experts in various fields. Participants were given information on the current EU financial schemes available. Each participant had the opportunity to register for a number of free consultancy hours, with one of the consultants present.
Devising and executing business strategy has become a more complex and dynamic challenge in recent years, particularly against a backdrop of intense political instability, fiscal austerity, and an uncertain economic climate. The commercial landscape is evolving rapidly, driven by value-for-money, new entrants, technological advances, and significant innovation. The financial strength of a business can weaken quickly, sometimes with little warning.
Malta Enterprise offers a Business Advisory Services Scheme which aims to provide tailored business advice to undertakings through selected advisors. Each advisory service address various aspects, key to the completive development and growth of the undertaking.
Business Doctors provided participants with:
As part of the European SME Week the Ministry for the Economy, Investment and Small Business in collaboration with the Malta Employers’ Association organised an Information Session on: The Relevance of Human Resources Management for SMEs .
Irrespective of size of company, or number of employees, the effective management of a company’s human resources is essential for the successful operating of the enterprise and an important source of competitive advantage. Although small companies may not have an established human resources department, the manner in which employees are selected, trained, motivated is becoming an increasingly critical factor – through the development of intellectual capital, skills and innovation – in creating a dynamic work environment which generates added value to the company and its clients. Mr Joseph Farrugia, Director General – MEA delved into these issues. The Hon. Chris Cardona, Minister for the Economy, Investment and Small Business delivered the closing address.
As part of the debate on the issue of precarious employment, government has issued a set of draft proposals intended to introduce a blacklisting system for companies who tender for government contracts and who are in breach of any defined conditions laid down in the regulations.
MEA has been at the forefront to represent employers’ interests whenever the issue of precarious work has been raised.
Due to the importance of this issue, the Malta Employers’ Association organised an information session to explain the contents of these regulations and to consult employers before formalising a response which will be submitted to government. Mr Joseph Camilleri, Permanent Secretary, Ministry for Social Dialogue, Consumer Affairs and Civil Liberties was present and explained these regulations as well as any questions from those present.
