10% Shift Pay Proposed for Night and On-Call Workers

TDT | Manama                                                      

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

Email: mail@newsobahrain.com

Bahrain’s Labour Law may soon set a minimum 10 per cent shift allowance for night and on-call roles if MP Jalal Kadhem’s amendment to Article 50 gains approval, addressing long-standing fairness concerns for private-sector workers.

‘Fairness means the worker should get extra pay during their shift to help keep a decent standard of living,’ Kadhem’s proposal states, pointing out the toll night shifts can take on both body and mind, as well as the isolation that often comes with such work.

Kadhem has put forward an amendment to Article 50, calling for a set allowance for those working night shifts and in roles requiring them to be on-call. The proposal aims to ensure workers receive at least 10 per cent more on top of their basic pay, providing a clear way to recognise the demands these roles bring.

At present, the Labour Law allows for a general work nature allowance, but without setting a minimum. Kadhem’s amendment seeks to set a base level, giving a clear standard across the private sector.

The proposal is based on Bahrain’s Constitution, particularly Article 13, which calls on the state to ‘guarantee job opportunities for citizens and fairness in working conditions.’ By setting the shift allowance in law, the amendment aims to strengthen fairness for Bahrain’s workers, making sure those bearing the challenges of irregular hours are properly valued.

Kadhem’s statement stresses that the shift system is widely used across Bahrain, affecting workers in many fields. It argues that a set allowance is needed to ease the ongoing demands of such work, which can wear down both body and mind over time.

The proposal will now be reviewed by Parliament’s specialised committee, which, if it agrees, will pass it to the government to be drafted into law.