

Muscat, Jan 22
Employers who don’t pay salaries on time will soon face fines, a member of the Wage Protection System (WPS) team at the Ministry of Labour (MoL) said. On violation of WPS rules, the employer will face a penalty of RO 50 per worker.
Saif bin Salem al Zaabi, a member of the WPS team, said the system came in response to cases of delayed salaries in the private sector. “Some companies do not transfer salaries to employees on time. Our goal from this system is to guarantee the rights of workers and enhance transparency in the labour market.”
Al Zaabi added that the next stage will witness the application of fines on companies that violate the system, as a fine of RO 50 will be imposed for each worker.
He said MoL received many complaints of delayed salaries. He cited cases of an Omani employee who has not received his salary for more than a year and an expatriate who has not received salary for over two years. These cases reveal the importance of government intervention to protect their rights.
Citizens welcomed measures against companies that delay the salaries of its workers as they see it guarantees the rights of workers. Salem al Harthy, a private sector employee, said: “Delaying salaries affects our daily lives. WPS is an important step to guarantee our rights and maintain our financial stability. I personally know some cases where employees were denied salaries for several months. This decision gives us hope that violators will be held accountable.”
A number of expats echoed similar sentiments, stressing that wage protection will ensure job security. Mohammed Khan from India, said: “I faced a delay in salary for more than three months. Now, with the implementation of the wage protection system, I feel confident that my rights will be preserved. When we know that our rights are protected, we can better focus on performing our work.”
Maryam al Balushi, a human resources expert, said: “WPS reflects the government’s commitment to improving the work environment and ensuring workers’ rights. This step will contribute to enhancing trust between the concerned parties, leading to increased productivity and stability in the labour market.” These measures come at a time when Oman is seeking to improve the work climate and enhance the business environment to attract foreign investments. Dr Abdullah al Khadouri, an expert in economic affairs, explained: “Achieving transparency and preserving workers’ rights contribute to enhancing the investment climate in Oman. When the work environment is stable and fair, it attracts more investments and contributes to enhancing economic growth.”
But some companies have expressed concerns about the challenges on WPS. Khalid al Maamari, director of an SME, said: “We support the idea of wage protection, but we need sufficient time to adapt our internal systems to the requirements of the decision. We hope that the ministry will provide the necessary support to small companies to ensure full compliance with the system.”
Oman Observer is now on the WhatsApp channel. Click here