Dozens of companies have faced legal action from authorities for violating the new laws over the past year.
Qatar’s Ministry of Labour (MOL) has shut down 12 recruitment companies and revoked their licenses for violating labour laws.
The ministry said that the action taken against the companies came as part of its efforts to monitor recruitment offices and ensure the implementation of labour laws to protect domestic workers.
It urged all citizens and residents to report violations and abuses committed by recruitment offices of domestic workers.
“This is through the hotline 40288101, and the e-mail: [email protected],” said the MOL.
Workers demanding action after salaries and passports withheld
The companies that faced action from the Qatari authorities include:
- Starch Manpower
- Anand Recruiting Manpower
- Shorok Al Shams Mapower Services
- Dubai Manpower
- Frame Manpower
- Al-Adam Manpower
- Absher Manpower Recruitment
- Al Methaq Manpower
- Al Resala Manpower
- Al Tawun Manpower Supply
- Al Thabat Manpower
- Colombo Manpower
The Ministry said that Colombo’s violations involved exploiting workers who entered the company with family visas by making them work part-time at houses. Those workers also do not have work permits.
Qatar’s historic reform
The MOL received over 2,000 thousand labour complaints in December alone. The complaints involved working hours, salaries, along with other violations.
Qatar has made major labour reforms over the years, including the introduction of the region’s first ever non-discriminatory minimum wage in 2021.
Under the minimum wage law, employers must pay allowances of at least 300 QAR for food and QAR 500 for housing on top of the minimum monthly basic wage of 1,000 QAR.
Employers who pay their staff less than the minimum wage face one-year in jail and a 10,000 QAR fine.
In 2020, Qatar dismantled the controversial ‘Kafala’, or sponsorship, system. It became the first country in the region to do so.
In May last year, the MOL launched a new platform for workers’ complaints, enabling employees to submit public violations of the labour law.
Since the introduction of those laws, Qatar’s labour ministry enhanced its monitoring of companies in the country.
In the first half of 2021, 35,280 accommodation and worksite inspections were carried out by authorities. This was followed by the issuance of 13,724 penalties to companies deemed to be in violation of Qatar’s labour laws.
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