Oman’s Ministry of Labour has issued a new Ministerial Decision (No. 617/2024) requiring employers with 50 or more workers to set up a formal grievance process to address worker concerns.
Under the new grievance system, workers are able to submit complaints or grievances about employer decisions for internal resolution. Although workers can still bring grievances directly to the Labour Ministry, the new system encourages resolving issues at the workplace level first.
According to the Ministerial Decision, the complaint procedure shall be as follows:
- Workers are required to first submit their complaint or grievance to their direct manager, who must respond within two working days.
- If the manager does not respond or rejects the grievance, the worker may escalate the issue to the employer or their representative, who is required to respond within five working days.
- If there is no response or the grievance is rejected at this stage, the worker can seek resolution by submitting the grievance to the Ministry of Labour’s administrative division.
Employers must provide workers with an approved copy of the new complaints and grievances system.
The new regulation lacks provisions to protect workers from retaliation for filing complaints through this system, and does not address confidentiality or anonymity. Additionally, it does not establish procedures to eliminate language barriers in the complaint process.
Given the power imbalance between migrant workers and employers under the Kafala system, migrant workers are in a vulnerable position when raising complaints. Employers have the power to terminate work permits or file absconding charges, often using these threats to deter complaints. Several GCC states are moving towards establishing joint committees or grievance systems within businesses, instead of allowing workers to unionise. These systems do not allow workers the right to collective bargaining or forming sectoral associations.
