Having to work everyday is exhausting for an employee. Imagine waking up early in the morning and going home late because you had to work overtime during the day. In the Sultanate of Oman, the government has observed how employees work in an entire week, which is why they implemented a 2-day mandatory weekly off. In this way, employees can use these days to rest and to do anything other than work.
Recently, the introduction of a 1-day off by a private employer shocked the people online. Questions arise via the social media, which by then caught the attention of the Ministry of Manpower in the Sultanate region. This is just an example of how the violation of employee rights can be so much alarming, especially for those people who are working abroad. As an expat, you should be knowledgeable about the provisions that come along your employee rights. Below, we summarized everything you need to know about the mandatory weekly off of the employees in Oman.
Oman Labour: Things you should know about your weekly off
The following can be your guidelines as an employee as these came from the Ministry of Manpower
- From article 71 of the Labor Law, it is mandatory to give employees no less than 2 days weekly off.
- In case an employer violates this law, the employee can file a case against the employer.
- Excluded from this law are domestic employees such as cooks, maids, drivers, and alike jobs as they require more time to serve their employers. The Ministry of Manpower will issue the rules to fully regulate this provision.
- If agreed to in writing, an employer can give at least 8 weeks accumulated rest periods with accompanying payment equivalent to the employees’ wage.
- Aside from rest periods, an employee is entitled to receive double their wages if he/she works during the 6th day or rest day. If said in the contract, an employee may also be entitled to additional day of annual leave to replace the rest day during he/she worked.
- The maximum working hours shall not exceed 9 hours a day or 45 hours a week. If the employee works beyond these hours, he/she is entitled to overtime pay equivalent to 125% of hourly rate for day workers and 150% for night workers. The employee should also agree to work overtime.
- An employee should not work for 6 consecutive hours. The employer must provide breaks and rest periods during the day to create an interval for the working hours.
- For workers in airports, vessels, ships, or port, they should receive a fixed allowance that is agreed to by the employer and the Ministry of Manpower in lieu of overtime pay.
With the information provided, you will not remain ignorant, especially if you are working in places other than your homeland. It is always essential to know what are the laws and how you would benefit from it.