Oman's Ministry of Manpower carries out 1000s of inspections

Muscat: Enforcement teams from the Ministry of Manpower inspected more than 3,500 businesses up to March this year and found irregularities in their functioning.
In course of the inspection, nine companies were referred to public prosecution for delays in paying the salaries of their employees.
“The Ministry of Manpower has referred nine out of 25 companies, which had been warned earlier to adjust their legal situation for delaying the issuance of salaries,” said Salim Al Badi, director general of labour welfare at the Ministry of Manpower.
“This comes as a result of the inspection visits and field monitoring done by the ministry under the framework of efforts to protect private sector employees’ salaries,” said Al Badi.
He added that the ministry also depends on reports received through its call centre.
The Manpower Ministry carried out 3,580 inspections last year and during the first three years months of this year. Al Badi also called on companies to take care of its workers and respect their rights, especially when it comes to their salaries.
“Companies must issue the salaries at the right time and also follow any decision made by the Ministry of Manpower to pay salaries in advance on special occasions,” said Al Badi.
He further explained that the payment of salaries at the right time pushes employees to perform better in their jobs and in the future.
Article number 51 of Chapter One, Part Four of the Labour Law, states that workers who are appointed for payment of monthly wages shall be paid their wages at least once every month. It also mentions that the salary must be paid within seven days from the end of the period in which it becomes due.
The Labour Law also states that whoever violates the provisions of Chapter One of Part Four shall be punished with a fine not exceeding OMR100 and the fine shall be multiplied by the number of workers, who are the subject of the violation, and the penalty shall be doubled in case of repetition of such violations.
When contacted, company officials also insisted that salaries should be paid on time. “Our labour law clearly states the salaries should be paid on time as it is their right of the employees,” said Hussain Al Rahbi, an HR manager of a company.
Rashid Khalfan, a construction company owner also said that salaries should be transferred on time as people have also commitments to keep.