False hopes, real pain MPs demand probe into fake job offers that cost Bahrainis their benefits

TDT | Manama

Email: mail@newsofbahrain.com

MPs are calling for an investigation into fake job offers that led to the closure of unemployment files for Bahraini citizens.

The files were shut on the grounds that the individuals had turned down work, only for it to emerge the offers came from companies that do not exist.

Parliament approved the urgent proposal yesterday, with MPs Khalid Buanaq and Zainab AbdulAmeer urging the government to direct the Ministry of Labour to look into the matter.

In their explanatory note, the MPs said the files were closed without notice or proper explanation, leaving those affected confused and unfairly penalised.

Complaints

They cited a rise in complaints from jobseekers who said they were accused of refusing roles they had never been offered or that were linked to unregistered or inactive businesses.

Some of those affected, they added, discovered through personal follow-up that the job offers in question were from non-existent entities or from companies not officially licensed or engaged in real activity.

This, they said, raises questions over the credibility of those issuing job offers and the process used to verify employment data.

Serious blow

The MPs described the closures as a serious blow to the rights of the unemployed, saying the practice undermines trust between citizens and the authorities managing employment and welfare schemes.

They called for a transparent system to check the accuracy of job offer records before any decisions are made that could affect a citizen’s income or entitlements.

The proposal also calls for independent oversight bodies to be involved in any investigation and for effective complaint mechanisms to ensure those affected can respond and present their case before any action is taken against them.