The Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training has announced that four more of the former NagaWorld employees who were laid off have accepted severance pay. This means there are 168 who are still unwilling to accept the company’s offer.

According to the ministry’s spokesperson unit, the four had written formal letters, accepting the solution that was on the table.

“As of [July 2], a total of 205 out of 373 former employees have received severance pay,” it said in a July 2 press release.

The ministry’s National Employment Agency will be ready to assist with finding new job opportunities for the former workers, it added.

The ministry said some former employees of the integrated casino resort have requested Minister of Interior Sar Kheng’s intervention in the case. They have asked him to make the company provide severance pay in accordance with the Labour Law to those who were laid off, so that they can support their families while searching for new jobs.

Following the interior ministry’s guidelines, labour ministry officials had verified that the four payments made were in accordance with the regulations related to dismissals and redundancies.

Tes Rukhaphal, secretary-general of the labour ministry’s Committee for the Resolution of Strikes, said the ministry would welcome the opportunity to explain the formula used to calculate the severance offers to the remaining former employees.

He added that NagaWorld was still open to those who want to receive compensation.

“Most of the people who have not accepted the package had already decided that it was incorrect, and would not listen to our explanations. The four who just agreed to it took the time to listen to us, and understood that everything was above board. They accepted the offer with no coercion,” he said.

He said the payments depend on each individual’s employment contract and was based on seniority. He also revealed that some had received tens of thousands of dollars.

The ministry’s 14th joint meeting to resolve the dispute was held on June 14 but was unable to achieve a positive outcome, with both sides maintaining their respective positions.

The union and former employees are seeking to return to work, while NagaWorld’s position is that the proposed number of employees would exceed its operational needs.