Private sector employers must transfer wages online within three days instead of seven days of payment deadline through Wage Protection System (WPS), the Ministry of Labour (MoL) said in a recent decision.
The WPS is aimed at monitoring the payment of wages to workers in the private sector, ensuring that employers transfer wages on time as agreed in the employment contract.
A dedicated MoL is responsible for monitoring the WPS, recording wage transactions, and preparing a database for this purpose.
Exemptions to the WPS have been outlined in specific circumstances. Employers are not required to transfer wages if a worker is involved in a labour dispute that results in absence from work for more than 30 days, is suspended from work for over 30 days for reasons not linked to the employer, or has been reported as having left work with 30 days having passed since the report’s approval. Other exemptions include new workers who have not completed 30 days of employment and workers on unpaid leave.
To ensure compliance, MoL has laid out penalties for violations. Employers may face warnings and suspension of services until violations are resolved. There can also be fines RO 50 for each affected worker — with the penalty doubling for repeat offences.
Another ministerial decision bans temporary transfers of expatriate workers to jobs reserved for Omanis.
The worker's consent must be obtained before the transfer to another establishment.
The worker must have completed at least six months of service with the transferring establishment.
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