At a glance
- Oman has recently issued new regulations that will govern part-time work (Part-Time Regulations).
- The new Part-Time Regulations in Oman apply to Omani nationals who work at least four hours per day but less than 25 hours per week, including students over 15, higher education students, private sector employees, and job seekers.
- Employers must provide a written contract registered with the Ministry of Labour, stating working hours, days, hourly wage, and payment method. Employees must be registered with social security and paid a minimum wage of OMR3 per hour.
- The regulations help employers meet Omanisation requirements, offer flexibility for seasonal work, and aid in retaining and transitioning part-time talent to full-time roles.
- Employees gain better work-life balance, flexibility to explore other opportunities, and protections under employment law, including health and safety, social security, and minimum wage.
Oman has recently issued new Part-Time Regulations in the Sultanate. These new Part-Time Regulations are another step forward in a series of labour-related regulatory updates that are transforming the labour sector in Oman.
The Part-Time Regulations will apply to employees who do not work in accordance with the hours prescribed by the main Labour Law and is aimed at employees who work at least four hours per day but less than 25 hours per week. The application of the law is also limited to Omani nationals who are students over the age of 15 and extends to students in higher education, private sector employees and those currently seeking employment (and registered as such with the Ministry of Labour).
Key provisions of the law
A number of obligations will now be imposed that will govern the employment relationship when an employee is employed on a part-time basis, in line with the part-time regulations. These include the need for a written employment contract, which must be registered with the Ministry of Labour. The employment contract must explicitly state the working hours, the working days, the agreed hourly wage and the method of payment of the agreed wage.
The employee must also be registered with the social security authority and the necessary contributions must be paid to the social security fund.
Employees must also be paid a minimum wage of at least OMR3 per hour, unless the wage is otherwise agreed and approved by the Ministry of Labour.
Employers are also required to ensure that the same protections and standards of occupational health and safety, as well as all necessary training and clear work instructions, are met as apply to them under the general labour laws. Either party to an employment contract may terminate it by giving three days' written notice.
Impact on employers
The Part-Time Regulations offer a number of benefits to employers. These include the fact that part-time employees can be taken into account when calculating compliance with Omanisation requirements.
Where employment is required for specific events or seasonal work, the Part-Time Regulations allow employers greater flexibility in managing their workforce, particularly given the limited notice period required to terminate part-time contracts.
Employers also now have an advantage in retaining talent that they might otherwise have to part with due to tax constraints or because an employee wishes to limit their availability due to personal circumstances.
Employers will also be able to identify and work with talented students who are not yet able to commit to full-time employment, making talent acquisition much easier as there will be potential to transition talented part-time employees to full-time positions once they have qualified, whilst not being tied to employees who do not meet the potential or requirements of the business.
Impact on employees
Employees can also take advantage of the new part-time arrangements, which allow them to manage their work-life balance much better. It also gives them greater flexibility to find other opportunities and move on much more easily than the existing rules allowed, while allowing them to diversify their work experience and develop their talents. All of this is possible with essentially the same protections offered by employment law, including health and safety, social security contributions, a minimum wage and all health and safety benefits.
Comparative perspective
The Part-Time Regulations also introduce a number of clarifications into the law where the existing provisions were silent. These include the provision of a minimum and maximum number of hours worked for the law to apply. The existing provisions did not specify the number of hours that had to be worked to qualify as part-time. The Part-Time Regulations also set out a category of permanent contract workers to whom they apply, whereas the existing provisions were silent on this point. In addition, the Part-Time Regulations explicitly state that where a student is employed on a part-time basis, there is no requirement for educational institutions to approve the student's decision to take up such part-time employment. Again, in the past, this explicit right was not covered by the law.
Practical insights
The new Part-Time Regulations continue the evolution of Oman's labour law landscape, ensuring that the Sultanate continues to provide opportunities for growth and development for Omani nationals and to promote Omanisation, without making it burdensome for employers. The Part-Time Regulations can also be seen as ensuring that the rights of workers continue to be protected, providing workers with greater opportunities to enter the market, while ensuring that this is done with a view to ensuring that employers themselves are able to take advantage of the labour market and these regulations to meet their needs in a more efficient and cost-effective manner.
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