Administrative Error Costs Young Woman Unemployment Benefits

TDT | Manama                                                      

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A young woman has successfully challenged a Ministry of Labour decision to halt her unemployment benefits after a medical centre's administrative error wrongly reported her refusal of a job offer. The Administrative Court overturned the Ministry's decision, ordering the reinstatement of her benefits with back pay.

The claimant stated that she was registered with the Ministry and receiving unemployment insurance benefits when she received a call from a medical centre scheduling a video interview. She was asked to immediately turn on her camera, but requested a few moments to modestly dress and put on her shayla (headscarf) and diffa (a traditional garment). The call abruptly ended.

Subsequently, she discovered a note on the Ministry of Labour's website indicating that her benefits were suspended due to a job refusal. Upon contacting the medical centre, she learned that a staff member had mistakenly reported her refusal.

The centre subsequently sent an email to the Ministry correcting the error and confirming that the woman had not refused the job offer. The claimant provided the court with a copy of this email.

The court's decision highlighted that the Ministry’s justification for suspending benefits was based on the claimant's alleged refusal of two job offers. While the Ministry cited the claimant's failure to immediately engage in the video interview as evidence of refusal, the court found that the medical centre's email explicitly acknowledged their error. The court ruled that the Ministry's decision lacked a valid basis, as the claimant had not, in fact, refused the job offer.

The court therefore annulled the Ministry's decision, ordering the reinstatement of the unemployment benefits and back pay from the date of suspension. The Ministry was also ordered to pay court costs.