Labour Judgments Enforced Within a Day, Says Minister

TDT | Manama

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Labour court judgments are being enforced in as little as one working day, Justice Minister Nawaf Al Ma’awda has said. More than 5,800 cases have passed through the system since the current legislative term began in December 2022.

In a written reply to MP Basma Mubarak, the minister said a total of 5,849 labour lawsuits had been filed between 12 December 2022 and 5 February this year. Of those, 4,924 had been decided with final rulings, while 925 remained before the courts.

The average case, he said, was dealt with in just over three months. Judgments are reached on the basis of the claims and objections raised, regardless of who is bringing or facing the case.

‘The outcome of each case is determined by the procedural and substantive issues involved, irrespective of the parties’ identity or status,’ Al Ma’awda said.

He added that enforcement follows the same rules set out in the civil and commercial execution law. The party on the receiving end of the judgment is first given notice and asked to comply of their own accord. If that doesn’t happen, the court moves to recover the sum through a chain of automatic steps.

Those may include orders to freeze bank accounts, seize any available funds, and mark real estate, shares, or personal property. If the amount due isn’t covered that way, claimants can request further measures. These might involve court-sanctioned deductions from pay or the sale of property through a licensed agent. The person owed money may also guide the court towards assets belonging to the other side.

The ministry said it could not give a single average time for carrying out enforcement, as each case followed its own course. Factors such as the type of ruling, the respondent’s finances, and whether any assets are visible and accessible all had an effect.

That said, around 85 per cent of enforcement requests were accepted by the courts within one working day, according to the minister. The rest were handled over the next few days, depending on the request and any extra steps involved.