Establishment referred to judicial authorities for violating Oman's Labour Law

Muscat: A private sector establishment has been referred to judicial authorities for not paying wages to its employees for several months in the Sultanate of Oman's Al Dhahirah Governorate.

The Ministry of Labour, represented by the Directorate General of Labour in AlDhahirah Governorate, has referred a private sector establishment to the judicial authorities for non-compliance with paying the wages of its workers for several months and for its violation of the provisions of Articles No. (53 and 51) of the Labour Law.

 The Ministry calls upon all private sector establishments and companies to abide by the payment of wages for their employees within the dates referred to in Article No. (51) of the same law.

The Article No51 of Labour law stated that wages shall be paid on a working day and at the workplace subject to the following provisions :

1- Workers who are appointed on monthly wages shall be paid their wages at least once every month.

 2- If the wage is paid on the basis of the number of pieces produced and the work requires a period of more than two weeks, the worker shall get a weekly payment on an account proportionate to the work he/she has completed and the balance of the wage shall be paid to him in full during the week following the completion of the work assigned to him .

 3- In cases other than the above - stated , the salaries of the employees shall be paid weekly. However, the salaries may be paid every two weeks or monthly if they agree in writing to such an arrangement and in all cases the salary must be paid within seven days from the end of the period in which it becomes due. A resolution by the Minister may set the timings for payment of employees' salaries at the establishments under the provisions of this Law before their due date on the national and official occasions.

Article No.53 said :"The employer will not be cleared of the employee's salary unless the salary is deposited in the employee's account at one of the locally approved banks. A resolution by the Minister may determine the exceptions where the employee's salary may not be deposited in his account."

Article No. 59 said that the wages payable to the worker shall not be attached, or assigned, except to the extent of one quarter thereof for the discharge of alimony, or repay any amounts owed by him to the government, or to the employer. In case of the existence of more than one debt the priority shall be accorded to the payment of alimony.