Amendments to labour law eyed

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Workers’ rights will be protected

KUWAIT CITY, Feb 14: According to reliable sources, the concerned departments in the Public Authority for Manpower (PAM) have started preparing amendments to some of the legal articles contained in the labor law issued in 2010 and its amendments, reports Al-Qabas daily. PAM officials said these amendments aim at developing some of the articles contained in the latest version of the law to be in line with the current labor market situation and its developments in light of the repercussions of the COVID-19 crisis, which revealed many negatives, especially with regard to marginal employment and salaries.

Changes
The sources explained that the changes will include tightening penalties for companies violating the labor law, and setting up a new mechanism related to the procedures for the codes that are placed on files and licenses in the event of non-compliance with the payment of salaries, granting leave, and trying to circumvent the law.

The amendments will also include tightening penalties against dummy companies and those profiting from the visa trade. Electronic link with commercial banks has already been activated to monitor the deposit and withdrawal of salaries in order to ensure that workers receive their rights and to eliminate the phenomenon of labor registration by fictitious sponsors.

The need for manpower assessment has changed in the interest of controlling the labor market and preventing marginal workers from entering into dummy activities.

Field teams affiliated with the Inspection Department participated in PAM by developing their perceptions on the new materials, and studying the market and field statistics of the inspectors that revealed the existence of a group of dummy commercial activities spread in the regions.

The sources said, “A new amended regulation has recently been issued regarding work permits and their renewal, and related to recruitment and renewal. Work is underway to establish a new organization to protect workers and give them their rights, and apply the law in conjunction with the recent developments.”

In another context, sources revealed that the employment protection sector and the tripartite committee had completed its work in pursuing the dummy activities, random markets and marginal employment in Khaitan and Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh areas.

Committee
They explained that the tripartite committee carries out daily visits to unlicensed markets and shops, and detects no less than 20 violators per day. This includes those who hold domestic workers’ residency who are referred to the Residency Investigation Department, and holders of article 18 work visa of the private sector, who are given notices to review the sponsors in preparation for investigation and deportation.

Also, the files of companies, which are in violation of the labor law, are closed. According to officials, the COVID-19 crisis revealed the pending negatives. The concerned authorities are seeking to take urgent steps to address them. They reiterated that the “jolt” in the need assessment revealed more dummy activities.

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