Bahrain to roll out new wage protection system for private sector employees
TDT | Manama
The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com
Bahrain is rolling out a new wage protection system for employees in the private sector, starting this May, said the Labour minister, voicing commitment to protecting the workers’ right.
The Kingdom will implement the system in three phases, said Jameel Humaidan, the Minister of Labour and Social Development.
The move also means that “failure to pay monthly salaries on time will result in penalties and attract legal procedures,” the minister warned.
First phase in May
In the first phase, the system will come into play for employers having 500 workers or more. For them, the new rule starts on 1st May 2021.
The second phase is for employers having 50 to 499 workers and will begin by 1st September 2021. In its third phase, the system targets employers having 1 to 49 workers.
For them, the start date is 1st January 2022. A six-month grace period is available for rolling out the system from the start of each phase. “Additionally, the system will be applied voluntarily for employers of domestic workers at the current stage,” Humaidan said.
Employers, the minister said, are required to start implementing the system before the phases that include them starts.
The new system contributes to “strengthening concerted efforts to combat trafficking in persons and forced labour by preemptively identifying suspicious cases,“ the minister said.
The decision follows a Cabinet decision approving the timeline for the implementation of the system.
The minister further said that the system ensures the “regular and timely transfer of wages to bank accounts,” besides enhancing transparency and oversight.
The new system, the minister said, also supports the judicial authority in settling wage-related disputes. “The system allows employers to maintain a professional and stable work environment, which will facilitate greater productivity and ensure the continuity of business growth.”
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