Firms must report absconding staff

Additionally, if a company files “more than five complaints in one month or more than 10 complaints in a year, then the company will be subject to investigation to ensure that it is complying with the labour law and health and safety regulations”.

Furthermore, if the company is found to be not complying with the provisions of the labour law or the regulations, then it will be suspended from receiving any services from the ministry for a year.

According to Articles 7, 10 and 18, business owners must report absconding employees electronically on the ministry’s website, in addition to paying an amount equivalent to the price of a return ticket. If employers fail to follow procedures, then they must pay a fine not exceeding OMR500.

Article 17 looks at cases wherein the employee is found to be working with another employer. “In such a case, the new employer shall require to pay for the departure of the worker and to transfer him/her at his own expense. The new employer shall also be obliged to pay the expenses incurred by the original employer to recruit the worker and to train him/her for the job.”

“The ministry has carried out inspection campaigns to ensure that businesses comply with the provisions of the labour law and to arrest expats who violate it. Article 18 of the law forbids business owners to allow any expat worker who is registered with them to work for someone else. Also, an employer shall not hire an expat who is living in the Sultanate illegally or is licenced to work for someone else,” an official from the ministry said.

Welcoming this, social workers living in Oman said that all these rules will help expats living in Oman. “The rules will protect the employees in cases of disputes,” a social worker said.