Muscat: Temporary employment initiatives for selected sectors upon request will be the key topic of the Majlis Ash’Shura during the Council’s meeting with Dr Mahad Saeed Ali Baowain, Minister of Labour, as part of its third ordinary sitting of the second regular session (2024-2025) for the 10th term (2023-2027), on Sunday, December 15, 2024, according to Ahmed Mohammed al Nadabi, Secretary-General of the Shura Council.
In a statement, Al Nadabi said that the sitting would cover five key areas to assess the reality and future of temporary employment contracts and the challenges of their implementation in the Sultanate of Oman as part of its efforts in following up on the issue of temporary employment in both the public and private sectors and exploring solutions to its challenges.
The discussion would focus on several main areas, such as reviewing the results of implementing temporary government contracts in all its forms, the Ministry's plans for developing such contracts, and the outcomes of applying other types of employment contracts in the private sector, along with the challenges faced by the Ministry.
The future of existing and upcoming temporary employment contracts will be the focus of discussion, including the Ministry’s approach to dealing with them in light of the current labour law. The sitting will also explore the Ministry’s vision regarding the legal and administrative framework for temporary employment contracts, considering the fluctuating labour market economy and the requirements of technology and Artificial Intelligence.
The Secretary-General clarified that the sitting would activate one of the monitoring tools, specifically the request for discussion, in accordance with Article (68) of the Oman Council Law.
“It is permitted, on the basis of a written request signed by at least five members, and after the approval of Shura Council by a majority of the attending members, to debate and share opinions with service ministers on general matters falling within the competence of the Council,” Al Nadabi added.
He further said that one of the main topics to be addressed during the sitting would be the Ministry's monitoring of the positive and negative impacts of temporary employment initiatives on the work environment in Oman and the national workforce in both the public and private sectors.
In preparation for studying the temporary employment initiatives and organizing the discussion session, a preparatory team had been formed under the chairmanship of Taher Mebkhoot al Junaibi, Deputy of Chairman, which has been working on studying the relevant aspects of the topic, gathering data, identifying challenges faced by temporary employment initiatives, and proposing solutions to mitigate the negative impacts of their implementation.
Additionally, the Council’s Youth and Human Resources Committee has been following up on the issue of temporary employment initiatives through a series of meetings and discussions with experts to understand the reality of their implementation and the challenges involved. The Committee has produced several reports and recommendations to enhance future benefits, and has been actively preparing for the discussion session through its meetings.
The session would also include an overview of several bills referred by the government, such as the Draft Law on the Collection of State Receivables and the Draft Law on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities besides addressing and approving the report of the Youth and Human Resources Committee regarding a proposal to implement remote work systems for certain jobs in government agencies.
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