KUWAIT: Accordingto law no. 6/2010, the Public Authority of Manpower (PAM) issued a decreebanning laborers from working outdoors from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm in summer, fromJune 1 to Aug 31 every year. This includes hard work done outdoors in the heatto protect the laborers from the extreme weather conditions.
Kuwait Timesfollowed the application of the ban and compliance by companies in variousareas. Daily observances at different locations, especially construction sites,revealed many violations of this law and tens of workers working under the hotsun. PAM warned companies they would face sanctions in case they violated thelaw and forced laborers to work during the ban. Inspectors regularly monitoredvarious locations in all of Kuwait's governorates. PAM also received complaintsfrom the public, who reporting seeing laborers working during the banhours.
The number ofviolations registered by PAM's inspectors from the beginning of the ban tillJuly 31, 2019 reached 1,219. "The inspectors went on repeated inspectionsof these locations that received notices, and legal action was taken towardscompanies that were still in violation, with their files transferred to thelegal department," Public Relations Director at PAM Aseel Al-Maziad toldKuwait Times.
The penalties forviolating companies are set according to the following process: "After theinspector gives the violating employer a notice to avoid the violation, they visitthe location again. If the violation is repeated, then the employer will haveto pay a fine of KD 100 to KD 200 for each worker," she said. The workerdoes not bear any responsibility. "Whether the worker decided to workduring the ban hours by himself or the employer asked him to do so, in allcases the employer takes full responsibility for this violation and the workerwill not be penalized," stressed Maziad.
By NawaraFattahova