KUWAIT CITY, April 2: Undersecretary at the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor Mohammed Al-Kandari said from Sunday onwards, the ministry will halt all transactions of companies which don’t pay their employees on time.  “Their files will not be processed until they make all overdue payments to their employees,” he added.
Speaking to reporters on the 54th Independence Day celebrations at Tunis Embassy, Al-Kandari said the step will help laborers who have been complaining of non-payment of their salaries. He also said the new labor law for private sector came into effect since the day it was issued in the official gazette.
When asked about changes in health insurance, the undersecretary said there are no such plans at the moment.
Board Chairman of Kuwait Union of Domestic Labor Offices (KUDLO) Fadhel Ashkanani has lauded a parliamentary proposal on the ratification of a special law for domestic workers, reports Al-Seyassah daily.
Asserting this is a step in the right direction, Ashkanani pointed out this proposal aims to improve the image of Kuwait in terms of its stand on the protection of human rights. He stressed the keenness of the Human Rights Committee at the Parliament to discuss the draft bill is a source of pride for Kuwait and its people. He said this is the best response to those who want to tarnish the image of the country, which has been accused of trafficking in people. 
In another development, Director of Production and Distribution at the Public Authority of Civil Information (PACI) Jasim Al-Mazen disclosed around 103,000 civil identification cards have not been picked up from the authority even if they were issued several months ago. He said most of the cards belong to domestic workers under the sponsorship of Kuwaitis.
Calling on the concerned citizens to get the identification cards of their domestic workers, Al-Mazen explained PACI will soon issue the smart cards, affirming there are 44 machines for the distribution of these cards. He added the authority issues around 8,000 cards for expatriates and 1,600 for Kuwaitis daily.
Al-Mazen said the new card will be valid for five years maximum unlike the old one which is valid for 10 years. He clarified the new cards will be distributed to citizens first and then to the expatriates later. He added the smart cards for expatriates will not have an electronic pin as their residency is valid for a short period - sometimes one year maximum.