bahrain labour law Archives • Middle East 24/7

Do you feel like spending your years one after another, but don’t get the much-needed time off from work that you deserve?

ALSO READ: Guide to Bahrain Labour Law – Policies on Wages

Well then, consider looking for a job overseas in the Middle East, as one of the GCC nations is known to be on top of the world when it comes to the number of paid leaves given to employees. Imagine: tax-free pay and almost 50 paid vacation leaves in a year. How’s that for your idea of work-life balance?

Not Happy with Your Paid Leaves? Consider Working in This Country — Credits: Francisco Anzola/Flickr

Bahrain #1 in the World in Terms of Number of Paid Leaves

According to a study conducted by resume.io – a resume writing online service, the workforce in Bahrain is likely the happiest when it comes to annual paid leaves, which is sanctioned by the Bahrain Labour Law. Here, workers can get up to 49 paid leaves in a year, as shared in a report by the Khaleej Times.

Delightful? Definitely. Surprising? Not so much, as the 49 leaves are made up of regular 30 days annual paid leaves on top of 19 public holidays observed in the Kingdom, which include Eid Al Fitr, Eid Al Adha, Arafat Day, National Day, Ashoora, and the Prophet’s Birthday. And as per international labour standards, workers in Bahrain are also entitled to sick leaves and maternity leaves without a pay cut, but this also depends on each company’s policy.

At present, there are over 1.4 million people residing in Bahrain, which is one of the 30 countries in the world that require to give workers an annual leave of 30 days.

Other countries where a 30-day annual leave is mandatory include Finland, France, Spain, Austria, and other GCC countries like Kuwait, Oman, and the UAE, as listed by a recent workforce study.

Given this opportunity, workers in Bahrain including expats can maximize their work leaves by visiting other countries and their home countries when it is most convenient to them without having to fear about limited time off from work to do so.

These are just some of the things which make working in the Middle East not only an ideal decision, but also an experience worth pursuing.

As of the latter part of Q2 of 2018, foreign worker employment in Bahrain reached 600,857. The economic sector with the highest number of new work permits for regular workers remain to be the construction sector, with a share of 33.0% of total regular work permits issued, followed by wholesale and retail trade sector, with a 17.9% share, and then the accommodation and food service activities sector at 12.6%, based on the most recent data released by Bahrain’s Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA).

ALSO READ: [Guide] What You Need to Know About Working in Bahrain

Bahrain has been one of the top work destinations in the Middle East, for OFWs and expats alike. Aside from the competitive salary package and tax-free earnings, many people also enjoy the benefits that come in working as a foreign national in the Kingdom, which include excellent basic services, quality health care, world-class shopping experience, and the many opportunities for travel in the country.

ALSO READ: [Guide] What You Need to Know About Working in Bahrain

As a foreign resident working in the Kingdom, one of the most important things to note aside from your employment contract are the policies on labour and wages, which we will tackle in this post.

Understanding Policies on Wages in Bahrain

When it comes to working in Bahrain, here are some of the most important provisions on the Bahrain Law when it comes to salaries and wages:

Calculation of Wages and Payment

Salary may be calculated on a per hour, per day, or per month basis. This can also be calculated based on a piece rate or per production, as long as this is clearly specified on the employee’s labour contract (Article 38).
Salary and other amounts due to the worker must be paid in Bahraini currency (BR). Likewise, an agreement for payment in legal tender currency may also be arranged (Article 40).
Upon end of contract, the employee shall be paid their wages and other amounts they are due. However, in the instance where the employee decides to terminate his contract, the employer must settle the worker’s wages within seven (7) days from the date on which the employee ended his contract (Article 40).

Repayment of Loans

During the effectivity and validity period of a worker’s contract, the employer is not allowed to deduct more than one-tenth of the employee’s salary in repayment of loans. Similarly, the employer cannot charge any interest for these loans. This rule also applies to salaries that are given in advance (Article 44).
With regard to loans granted for house construction, the employer can increase the amount deducted from the worker’s wage by up to 25% only. Also, for this arrangement to be valid and lawful, it has to be put into writing with the worker’s written consent (Article 44).

Rights and Welfare of Employees

Wages and pay scale assigned to employees should not be discriminated based on gender, nationality, religion, or ideology (Article 39).
An employer is not allowed to designate an employee working on a monthly basis to one who works on an hourly, daily, weekly, or piece-rate basis without duly informing the employee or a written agreement approved by the latter (Article 41).
The employer should not force or compel their employee/s to purchase food, products, or services from establishments they own or by any third party offered by the employer (Article 42).

Aside from getting in depth with the provisions stipulated on the employment contract, the above details are just some of the basic things that every foreign worker in Bahrain should understand.

Disclaimer: The pieces of information provided in this post are intended for information-sharing purposes only. This should not be used as the sole and official basis or reference for actual labour concerns or any legal proceedings. To know more about the Bahrain Law, you may visit the website of the Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA).