Companies that continuously flout the midday summer work ban will be named and shamed, Qatar’s labor ministry has warned.

The news comes after the Ministry of Administrative Development, Labor and Social Affairs shut 60 construction sites for three days last month for breaking the law.

From June 15 to Aug. 31 each year, any company that employs outdoor employees in Qatar must stop work from 11:30am to 3pm, when the sun is at its peak.

Currently, companies found in violation of this rule can face work stoppages of up to a month.

Committed to safety

According to QNA, labor minister Dr. Issa bin Saad al-Jafali al-Nuaimi said yesterday that companies must commit to the health and safety of Qatar’s workforce.

He added that firms that repeatedly violate the midday work ban could face stricter punishments. That includes publicly announcing their names.

The warning is a sign that Qatar is getting stricter about protecting blue-collar workers, amid greater scrutiny from the international community regarding labor rights.

In March, the International Labour Organization (ILO) effectively put Qatar on notice when it announced it will wait a year to decide whether the country should be sanctioned over allegations of “forced labor.”

Around the same time, Al-Nuaimi told the ILO, a UN agency, that all residents of Qatar are equal under the law.

He added that expats are protected against discrimination under the country’s constitution and legislation, something many people have disputed.

Inspector incentive

Meanwhile, Al Sharq reports that the Ministry of Municipality and Environment will give financial incentives to inspectors who catch violations.

They will get 5 percent of total fines collected from companies and erring outlets for MME-related offenses, but the reward will not exceed QR100,000/person.

Additionally, the incentive only applies during official inspection campaigns, not for violations detected accidentally or ones investigated due to public complaints.

Thoughts?