T

he West Java administration blamed a lack of labor inspectors for its difficulties in imposing sanctions on companies that fail to register their workers with the state-owned insurance company, PT Jamsostek.

Under the 1992 Social Security Program Law, companies with a minimum of ten workers or that pay at least Rp 1 million (US$106) in monthly salaries to their workforce are required to register their workers with Jamsostek.

The insurance offers health care, occupational accident and death benefit plans to employees.

West Java’s Transmigration and Labor Agency head, Hening Widiatmoko, said her agency found it difficult to enforce the law due to the lack of labor controllers.

 “We have only 138 inspectors who have to supervise 25,000 companies,” Hening said, adding that under the regional autonomy system, the provincial administration had the duty to carry out inspections.

Hening added that in 2011, 20 companies did not pay Idul Fitri bonuses (THR) to their workers. She said she would be forming a special team to make sure that all companies in the province give THR to their employees this year.

In response to the situation, the head of the Indonesian Labor Union, Roy Jinto, suggested that the administration should involve employees to help inspect companies where they worked.