Bahrain Labour Ministry committee to address layoffs due to partial or complete closures

TDT | Manama     

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

Losing jobs can indeed be a daunting experience for anyone, amidst economic challenges. However, it’s during these challenging times that new opportunities often emerge, waiting to be discovered. This sentiment is echoed in the Kingdom, where Minister of Labour, Jameel Humaidan, is spearheading efforts to tackle this issue.

The ministry has disclosed the formation of a committee tasked with studying layoffs, aiming to avoid job losses by exploring all possible alternatives.

The committee, as explained by the minister, will delve into the reasons behind workforce reductions, including partial or complete closures.

Their approach involves engaging with company owners to identify and implement alternatives to job cuts or closures.

These solutions may range from offering voluntary retirement to providing wage subsidies aimed at retaining Bahraini employees.

The minister’s responses came during a parliamentary inquiry by Shura Council member Khalid Al Maskati, highlighting the ministry’s commitment to finding solutions beneficial to both employees and employers alike.

How it works?

First, the committee will study the requests received for workforce reductions, which may arise due to reasons including partial or complete closures.

Next, they will convene meetings with company owners to explore all possible alternatives to avoid job cuts or closures.

Potential solutions will be thoroughly explored at this stage, taking into account the nature of the company.

These solutions may entail offering laid-off employees positions in other departments or branches within the same company, or facilitating their transfer to similar businesses.

The solutions

Offering early retirement to eligible Bahraini employees as an alternative to layoffs, along with providing wage subsidies to companies to retain national workers, are some of the suggestions that will be put forward.

It’s worth noting that the ministry has previously succeeded in preventing or reducing layoffs through these measures.

“It was accomplished without compromising the interests of the businesses involved,” the minister explained.

What if unavoidable?

However, if layoffs become unavoidable, Humaidan assured that Bahraini workers will be ensured all rights and necessary compensation as per Articles 110 and 111 of the Labour Law in the Private Sector.

Furthermore, the ministry will guarantee the payment of unemployment benefits at a rate of 60% of the insured worker’s salary for a period of nine months, with a maximum of 1,000 Bahraini dinars.

Priority for reintegration

The minister revealed the existence of a specialised employment team dedicated to monitoring the reemployment of laid-off Bahraini workers.

Humaidan emphasised that this team would play a pivotal role in facilitating the reintegration of these workers into the labour market.

Their duties will include recommending suitable job opportunities based on the workers’ experience, as well as referring them to training courses aimed at enhancing their skill sets and improving their chances of securing new employment opportunities.