Court orders radio station to pay journalists SSP1.6 million for illegal termination of contracts

BOR, JULY 6, 2023 (SUDANS POST) – A local court in South Sudan’s Jonglei State has ordered a local radio station to pay more than 1.6 million pounds to five journalists for illegal termination of their contracts, according to an order seen by Sudans Post.

Journalists Deng Ghai Deng, Aluel Kut Angeth, Mach Mayol Riak, Agol Samuel Panchol, and Chol Makol Riak, filed a lawsuit against Radio Jonglei in 2022, demanding compensation for their unfair expulsion from their jobs.

In the order dated July 3, 2023, Judge John Yel-Aleu of the Jonglei High Court found the radio station of illegally terminating the journalists’ contracts and ordered for payment of 438,000 SSP for Deng Ghai Deng, 411,000 for Aluel Kut, 297,600 for Mach Mayol Riak, 297,600 for Agol Samuel Panchol, and 216,000 for Chol Makol Riak.

The judge also ordered Radio Jonglei to bear the cost of the lawsuit. Radio Jonglei has not yet commented on the court’s decision.

The case is a landmark decision for labor law in Jonglei State where it is the first time that a court has ordered an employer to pay severance pay to employees who were terminated without notice.

The decision is likely to have a significant impact on labor relations in the state.