Bahraini MPs votes to cancel runaway workers’ End of Service benefits

TDT | Manama                                                     

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

Job-hopping is nothing new. However, if done here without proper notice, lawmakers warn, you will now lose your “End of Service Benefits.” Not all are affected.

As per the proposal passed yesterday in Parliament, too, overruling the Bahrain Labour Ministry’s objections, low-paid workers, including housemaids, are on the radar here.

MPs say the new law will be in force if domestic workers run away from their jobs in violation of their work permit terms.

Even though, as lawmakers said, the move will reduce runaway worker cases, the Labour Ministry fears it would lead to discrimination among workers, violating Bahrain’s constitution and legislation.

The Ministry argues that the amendment, which deprives domestic workers, including housemaids, of their end-of-service benefits if they leave their jobs without notifying the employer and subjects them to financial fines, comes without valid justifications.

The Labour Ministry explains that the proposal would create an avenue for employers to evade their obligation to pay end-of-service benefits to domestic workers.

Most importantly, the ministry told MPs, the proposal is silent on the duration of a domestic worker’s employment, whether it is long-term or short-term.

The ministry also reminded lawmakers that slapping fines on workers and employers is illegal as per labour laws, especially as the private sector laws do not regulate work permits but outline only the relationship between employer and worker.

However, lawmakers overruled all these objections to approve the proposal tabled before parliament by the Services Committee of the Council of Representatives.

Their justification was that it would bring down the cases of runaway workers, and stringent penalties would deter maids from violating their work permits.

Besides, such a law would help protect the rights of employers, MPs stressed, stating that it would pave the way for incentivizing the recruitment of domestic workers.

MPs also claim the law would boost the recruitment of domestic workers, eventually revitalising the market and economy, as more people will come forward to invest in such ventures to hire workers.

Lawmakers highlight that the law would raise the level of commitment among domestic workers, increase satisfaction levels for employers, and reduce the rates of loose labour and crimes committed by domestic workers.