Labor Commissioner assigned in Maryland County, Thomas Kuma, has raised red flag over a “growing labor crisis.”
Kuma said, there are companies that have kept workers on rolling contracts long after their probation periods end.
He spoke during a recent stakeholders’ meeting in Harper City.
Kuma said, the practice has become the #1 labor complaint his office has received in. Under the Decent Work Act of 2015, employees who successfully complete a probation period of say, three months, are supposed to be considered for permanent or fixed-term employment with full benefits.
“When a worker finishes probation, the law is clear. You either confirm them as permanent staff, or give them a proper contract with defined terms and benefits. Keeping people on endless ‘contract status’ for years is exploitation.
It denies workers job security, pension, health benefits and the dignity of work.”
Contract employment abuse is hitting hardest in key sectors: rubber, palm oil, retail, and government service contracts. Workers report being renewed on three-month, or six-month contracts for three-five years without confirmation.
Kuma said, contract abuse is not the only problem facing workers and businesses in the county.
Mr. Kuma has meanwhile, called on all employers in the county to audit their workforce and regularize employees who have passed probation.
He also urged workers to know their rights and report abuses to the Labor Office in Harper instead of suffering in silence.
“Maryland County cannot develop if we exploit the people building it. Decent work means fair pay, safe conditions, and respect. Contract work has a place, but it cannot replace permanent employment for people doing permanent jobs.”
His office says, it will begin inspections and compliance checks in July 2026, targeting plantations, shops and service companies.
For workers in Maryland, the message is clear: “your years of service should count for more than another three-month contract.”
