Job seekers across the country have recorded a huge win after the National Assembly unanimously passed the Employment Amendment Bill; that removes clearance certificates from agencies such as KRA, HELB, EACC, DCI and credit bureaus as a requirement when seeking employment.
Before the introduction of the amendment, job seekers were tasked with the responsibility of producing clearance certificates from the above mentioned agencies in order to secure a job interview.
However, with the amendment, job seekers will now be required to provide the clearance certificates only after an employment offer is made by the potential employer.
This therefore means that job seekers do not have to spend money on securing the certificates yet they are not guaranteed of employment.
According to MP Gideon Keter who was behind the amendment, a research done by the Parliamentary Budget Office revealed that institutions providing clearance certificates have been collecting over Sh750 million every year from job seekers.
“Job seeking should not be an adventure where job seekers must prove that they are not a criminal or haven’t engaged in any crime in the past. This country is not graduating criminals from universities and colleges every year. These are young men and women who are more than ready to offer their skills and knowledge for the advancement of this nation’s greatness.
“Public-funded institutions should never be cash cows… First give the graduates jobs then ask for clearance documents. Young people should not be punished for looking for a job, let them earn money first to afford paying for these documentation,” the MP said in a statement after his amendment was passed by Parliament.
