After instituting comprehensive labour law reforms, the State of Qatar has taken a number of steps for effective implementation of the labour laws and regulations, ensuring workers get their full rights. The latest step in that direction is the launch of a unified online platform to handle all labour laws-related complaints and reports.
Launched by the Ministry of Administrative Development, Labor and Social Affairs, the new platform will enable all the workers and employees in the private sector including the domestic workers to file complaints regarding their employment or contracts online. The complainants can use their registered mobile phone number or the visa number to file and track their complaints. Complainants can also receive notifications regarding the filed complaints through text message and email. The platform also supports attachments while submitting complaints.
The system also provides a reporting service that enables all citizens and residents of the country to report public violations of the labour law through the platform. People will be able to report violations such as inappropriate accommodations provided by employers, violations at the worksites and working while holding a visit visa.
The Ministry of Administrative Development, Labor and Social Affairs will investigate and follow up on all the complaints. The ministry has said that the programme will soon be expanded to allow submission of complaints related to recruitment offices, nurseries, as well as complaints from the employer against the worker.
Qatar’s rapid infrastructure development and economic growth over the past decades has attracted hundreds of thousands of migrant workers, and the government has been taking steps to ensure welfare of the workforce. Major decisions to facilitate workers include abolishing the need for exit permits to leave the country for majority of the workers; allowing workers to change jobs freely, without the need for a no-objection certificate from the previous employer; introduction of a non-discriminatory minimum wage; establishment of 20 visa centres in India, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Philippines, and Tunisia to expedite the visa process and prevent exploitation of workers in their home countries; and establishment of Workers’ Support and Insurance Fund to ensure and provide care for workers, guarantee their rights and provide a healthy and safe working environment. These reforms have been recognised by human rights groups and the UN organisations.
The introduction of the unified platform for complaints and reports will go a long way in ensuring workers’ rights and effective implementation of the labour laws.
