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Labour Laws in Bahrain: Working Hours and Rest Days

In a 2017 survey, Bahrain was hailed as one of the most preferred places to live in by many expats. The result revealed that 87% of the expat respondents were happy with their lives in the Kingdom of Bahrain.

ALSO READ: What’s Ramadan Like in Bahrain?

It is for this reason that many foreign nationals aspire to land a job or get an opportunity to migrate to this wonderful Arab country in the Middle East. If you happen to be one of those foreign nationals who wish to find employment in this country, continue to read this post.

Get to Know About Working Hours and Rest Days in Bahrain

One of the main considerations why expats choose to live in Bahrain is, of course, the abundance of well-paying jobs in the country. However, job pay is only one of the many things we should all be concerned about when planning to work overseas. Other considerations are the job environment, work treatment, as well as observance of labour laws in the said country.

For starters, foreign workers should know about working hours and rest days in accordance to the provisions of Bahrain’s Labour Laws:

Working Hours

In Bahrain, employees work for 8 hours per day or an average of 48 hours/week. Work hours may also be extended for more than 8 hours per day, but should not go beyond 10 hours/day (Article 53).
However, for Muslim workers, working hours during Ramadan should not go beyond 6 hours per day or 36 hours/week (Article 51).
Based on Bahrain’s labour laws, work hours may be extended or shortened under certain work circumstances. For each additional hour rendered at work per day, a worker is entitled to receive their hourly wage and an additional 25% of the said rate.
Meanwhile, those who work additional hours at night are entitled to receive their hourly wage and an additional 50% of the said rate (Article 54).

Prayer, Meals, and Rest Periods

Employees should not work for six consecutive hours in a day. There must be at least one or more intervals for rest, meals, and prayers (for Muslims). These periods should not be less than 30 minutes, and are not considered part of working hours (Article 52).
Employees are not allowed to stay at work for more than 11 hours per day, including working hours and rest periods (Article 57).
Employees may be asked to report to work on their rest day under certain circumstances. In such cases, the employee may choose between receiving an additional wage equal to 150% of their base rate, or another rest day (Article 57).

Other Provisions of the Law

Employees working on night shifts as well as those covered by the “occupational confinement system” are entitled to compensation based on the nature of their jobs (Article 50).
The Ministry of Labour may impose changes to the working hours and rest periods in certain industries such as those required to perform continuous services due to the technical nature of work (Articles 51 and 52).
Employers should display the working hours, rest days, and rest periods for all worker categories in a spot where it can be easily viewed or accessed in the workplace (Article 55).

All employees are required to learn and understand their duties and responsibilities before they get absorbed in the workforce. It should also be their personal goal to understand their rights as workers, which the government also supports and advocates for.

ALSO READ: [GUIDE] Riding Public Buses in Bahrain Using a GO Card

What’s Ramadan Like in Bahrain?

Bahrain, being one of the many oil-rich countries in the Middle East, is also predominantly a Muslim nation. Therefore, it pays to know about the basics of Muslim culture if you’re planning on visiting this country anytime soon or in the future.

ALSO READ: 5 Tips when Travelling to the Middle East During Ramadan

This is particularly important if you happen (or plan) to visit during the Holy Month of Ramadan. Because as you can imagine, there are various customary events that only happen during Ramadan, and we shall take a look at them especially in the context of Bahrain in this post.

[GUIDE] What to Expect During Ramadan in Bahrain

A few things worth noting: During the month of Ramadan, Muslims wake up before sunrise to have “suhoor,” a pre-fast meal. After which, they no longer partake of any eating, drinking, smoking, and even chewing gum for the rest of the day. But when the sun sets, Muslims take part in a public meal known as “iftar”.

That being said, expats are not necessarily obliged to perform these rituals, but do note that food items and supplies will be scarce during this period so it’s important to take note a few things to be prepared for your stay during this time in Bahrain:

Most businesses and public offices will have shorter operating hours during this time (usually from 8am to 2 pm only).
Several shops won’t be open during the day, but will be open at night until early morning.
Also, food spots such as cafes and restaurants won’t be operational during the day.
Meanwhile, licensed restaurants will not be serving alcohol. Also, don’t expect these places to play music or offer entertainment during the whole month.

The following is a set of guidelines on how to behave during Ramadan:

Dress modestly and appropriately. Remember to cover up your shoulders and knees, especially for the ladies. Men are expected to wear long trousers and clothes with long sleeves when out in public.
Greet the people you get to cross paths with. Basic greetings such as “Ramadan Kareem” and “Ramadan Mubarak” speak of blessings and good will to the recipient.
Be willing to donate or share food, money, or clothes to charity. Organized charity work is promoted during Ramadan. Also, almsgiving is widely practised during this time, as well.
Be willing to accept invitations to iftar. Whether it be your host or a couple of friends from work, it’s a good social response to join Muslims at iftar where you can share good stories and experiences about Muslim culture, and to make new friends or connections.
Do not eat, drink, smoke, or even chew gum in public. Understand that fasting is difficult as it is, and you wouldn’t want other people to give you mean looks when you fail to remember this.
Avoid public displays of affection such as hugging or kissing in public, even if you are with your spouse or lover, as this is deemed inappropriate in social settings in Muslim countries, more so during Ramadan.
Avoid using offensive words or gestures, or causing loud noise. As proper decorum and right conduct warrant this, speaking ill or acting offensively towards others, as well as creating a distraction are widely condemned during Ramadan.

The idea during Ramadan is for everyone to exercise respect and discipline towards the long-standing traditions of the people and the land. And while expats are not obliged to take part in any of these activities, knowing how to behave accordingly is a good first step to showing your respect towards the people and their beliefs.

[GUIDE] Riding Public Buses in Bahrain Using a GO Card

When visiting a country such as Bahrain for the first time, one of the first things you need to figure out (especially when you’re on a budget) is how to use the city’s public transportation (e.g. buses and trains), if there’s any.

The good thing is, many countries have invested in their public transport system, and many are already using automated or electronic transactions for payment and fare pricing. And when you’re in Bahrain, you’d realize that the country is not any different from those with this kind of system, since they have the GO Card for public bus use.

How to Use a GO Card to Ride Public Buses in Bahrain

If you’ve never heard or seen a GO Card before, it’s basically a stored value card that you can use to ride public buses in Bahrain. To use the GO card, all you have to do is to check-in through the machines on-board, and the exact fare amount will be deducted automatically from your credit.

As you can imagine, this makes boarding and getting a ride much more convenient since all you have to do is to tap your card on the electronic card reader as you board the bus, wait for the machine to charge you a base fare of 250 fils for a single journey ride, and find a comfortable seat for the trip.

Also, take note that once your total fare reaches the daily cap of 600 fils, you will no longer be required to pay extra for the rest of the day.

If you’re planning to stay on longer in the country, you might want to get a Monthly Pass instead. This is worth BD 14, and it will allow you to travel as many times as you want for a month. This would prove to be a good investment if you plan to take the bus every day, say, for work, among others.

Of course, a good question you’d probably have in your mind right now is where to buy/reload GO Cards.

You can get your GO card at any of the ticket offices in Manama, Muharraq, as well as in Isa Town.

Alternatively, you can purchase GO cards at ticket vending machines located in bus terminals or at the Bahrain International Airport and the University of Bahrain.

The first time you purchase a GO card, it would cost you 500 fils. After that, you can top up your credits with any amount, up to a maximum of BD 50. Similarly, you can reload your card at any of the provided options where you can buy a card as mentioned above.

With a GO Card, you can:

Conveniently take public buses, find a sure seat, and reach your destination comfortably.
Forget about carrying the exact change to pay for your fare.
Easily transfer from one bus to another and save money, since “end-to-end” trips cost less.

To find out more about GO cards, bus routes and schedules, and road updates, you can check out the Bahrain Public Transport website.

Depending on your travel itinerary and length of stay in the country, you can take advantage of the city’s public transportation system – and a good way to start is be getting a GO Card to take care of your payment transactions.