Wage protection system on way for private sector employees

Manama : The Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister HRH Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa, yesterday initiated a step to implement a system that seeks to ensure wage protection and end exploitation of staff in the private sector. 

Under the proposed system, payment of salary to employees in the private sector will be allowed only through their bank accounts. 

The scheme will “avoid potential problems, as employers in the private sector will be obliged to credit the salaries of their workers to bank accounts, instead of paying them in cash”. 

HRH the Premier told the Cabinet that the move would ensure that the private sector employees are paid “according to schedule.”

HRH the Premier was speaking while chairing the regular weekly Cabinet session, attended by His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and First Deputy Prime Minister, at the Gudaibiya Palace.

The system was introduced in line with the recommendations made by the Executive Committee, led by His Royal Highness Crown Prince and First Deputy Prime Minister, Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, to monitor salary payments and protect the interests of employees in the private sector. 

Due to be launched in May 2018, and completed in May 2019, the system will be applied gradually according to the size of the establishment and in consultation with Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry, as clarified in the memorandum presented by the Labour and Social Development Minister.

The session tasked the Labour and Social Development Minister to issue required edicts, and the Central Bank of Bahrain (CBB) to increase the number of licensed service providers and ATMs in the Kingdom.