MUSCAT: Oman has announced a new set of domestic worker regulations intended to enhance working conditions, provide fair treatment, and modernize employment practices.
The new ruling supersedes the previous Ministerial Decision and came into effect the day after its publication in the Official Gazette. Obsolete foreign workers’ recruitment forms have also been abolished. Employers and workers have both been given three months to incorporate existing contracts into line with the new regulation.
The law covers a wide category of domestic occupations, such as housemaids, drivers, nannies, gardeners, cooks, security personnel, nurses, and animal caretakers. It duly recognizes these workers as important players in the labour force of Oman and ensures that they are accorded minimum rights which cannot be negotiated or waived under any agreement.
Domestic workers under the new system should not work more than 12 hours a day, excluding breaks and meals. They should get at least eight uninterrupted hours of rest every day. Up to two hours of overtime pay is allowable, but with written permission from the worker.
Employees are also entitled to a day off free every week. If they accept employment on their day of rest, they should be given either double or a day off in lieu.
Domestic workers shall now be entitled to a minimum of 21 days of paid annual leave and a maximum of 30 days of paid sick leave yearly, with a valid doctor’s certificate. They shall not be asked to work during this time.
Employers must remit wages within seven days from the due date, either by bank transfer or signed receipt, in Omani rials or any mutually agreed currency. Deductions are only allowed for particular reasons—like damage caused by negligence, court judgments, or repayment of a loan—and should not exceed 25% of the gross wage.
The legislation explicitly forbids forced labour, harassment, and passport confiscation. It forbids employment of anyone below 21 years and prohibits employers from exacting recruitment fees or from sending workers on duties that are not part of their contractual job.
Employers have to offer reasonable housing, food, medical insurance, and transportation, and are compelled to maintain one year’s employment records after ending the contract. All contracts also have to be electronically registered with the Ministry of Labour for better transparency and monitoring.
Employees have the right to end the contract without notice in the event of abuse, cheating, or non-payment of wages, while still being eligible for end-of-service benefits and repatriation charges.
They are exempt from paying court fees in labour cases and can be represented in court by licensed recruitment offices. Employers found to be flouting the new regulations could face fines ranging from OMR 50 to OMR 500, multiplied by the number of affected workers.
