Paid maternity leave in Oman almost doubled as part of sweeping reforms

Reforms provide additional support for expatriates and Omani employees

Oman has nearly doubled maternity leave as part of a raft of employment reforms boosting workers' rights. EPA

Maternity leave in Oman has been almost doubled in sweeping reforms announced by the country's government.

Previously, paid maternity leave could last up to 50 days but that figure has been increased to 98.

Other changes include the introduction of seven days' paid paternity leave, when previously there was none.

Under the new laws, there is also an entitlement of 14 days of paid bereavement leave in the event that the husband of a non-Muslim worker passes away.

Employers and workers have welcomed the changes.

“I am optimistic about the recent changes in Oman's labour law,” said Mohammed Al Rahbi, an Omani working in the oil and gas sector.

“The introduction of new rights for employees, such as maternity and paternity leave including non-Omanis, is a significant step forward for work-life balance."

The law also allows taking time off from work for reasons including study leave to sit examinations.

“The issued Social Protection Law and the Labour Law provide a comprehensive and balanced approach to regulating the labour market and providing social security," said Mohammed Al Farsi, legal associate at Decree, a start-up that specialises in providing access to a full-text English language database of all royal decrees and laws published in the Omani Official Gazette.

"Essentially, the Labour Law aims to safeguard workers' rights while creating a conducive environment for businesses to operate.”

Mr Al Farsi said the laws were part of an overhaul of previous legislation from 2003, covering areas such as contracts, wages, working hours and penalties for violations.

“Several key points in the new Labour Law could significantly impact the current labour landscape in Oman," he said.

“The law also deals with the special issue of indefinite contracts and appears to provide more flexibility to employers as it allows a contract up to five years to be considered a fixed contract.

"The law also provides a new mechanism for collective bargaining, and provides new grounds for terminating underperforming employees, which is a provision that did not exist in the previous Labour Law,” he added.

Significant effect on Omanisation

One of the key changes in the new Labour Law is the provision allowing companies to terminate the services of underperforming Omani employees.

“I believe that the new grounds for terminating employees under article 43 add a much-needed balance in the relationship between employer and employee," said Mr Al Farsi.

"Even though Omanisation is an extremely important principle in Omani law, employers certainly need to be able to terminate the service of underperforming Omani employees if needed.

"This should have a positive effect on the quality of hired Omani staff.”

Fatma Al Balushi, a small-business owner, expressed her support for the move.

“As an Omani employee, I believe this provision will encourage companies to maintain higher standards in their workforce," she said.

"It gives employers the flexibility to make necessary decisions while ensuring they prioritise qualitative Omanisation.

"This, in turn, will lead to more opportunities for deserving Omani employees, fostering our growth and development within the job market.”

Mr Al Rahbi is optimistic the rules could lead to a brighter future for Oman's labour market.

"These provisions show that the government cares about the well-being of the people in this country and is committed to promoting a fair and inclusive work environment," he said.