Workers who have had days off deducted from their entitlement, endured pay cuts or even lost their jobs as a result of following pandemic protocols should be compensated, according to MPs.
Parliament unanimously approved an urgent proposal by five MPs led by Mohammed Buhamood calling on businesses and government bodies to face action if they had acted ‘unfairly’ towards Covid-19 positive employees, or their close contacts, having to quarantine.
“There are genuine cases in which people have had to quarantine several times to protect the community,” said Mr Buhamood. “Unfortunately some businesses and government bodies have deducted those days off from sick and annual leave, or cut wages.
“Covid-19-related cases are exceptional and should not be part of regular administrative procedures.”
Mr Buhamood claims that several Covid-19 positive people, and others with symptoms, were forced to leave their mobile phones with the BeAware app at home and report for duty or else lose the entitlements.
Under employment laws, people are annually given 15 days of paid sick leave with a possible extension following medical assessment if necessary. However, the Cabinet, in 2020, decided that Covid-19 cases and their close contacts were not placed under the ‘sick leave’ rule.
“We acknowledge that there have been multiple cases of misuse since the outbreak of Covid-19 in February 2020 in which healthy people instructed Covid-19-positive relatives, colleagues and friends to add their names as close contacts, even if they were not, because they wanted time off work” said Mr Buhamood. “But this kind of misuse shouldn’t be taken as the general practice.”
He added that government action was necessary against such administrative injustice, which also included sackings.
“Some companies have sacked trainees during their first three months of employment because they either tested positive or were in close contact with someone who had the virus. In reality, they had no choice but to miss work,” said Mr Buhamood.
“Others were forced to leave mobile phones at home and show up for work even if they were feeling unwell.”
Parliament services committee chairman Ahmed Al Ansari claimed that his son and daughter were forced to attend work at a state-owned company and ministry respectively, despite having symptoms.
“Whether my son and daughter had Covid-19 or not, they were sick and waiting for their Covid-19 test results,” he said.
“We understand there are huge shortages in manpower but it shouldn’t come at the expense of health and public well-being.”
• MPs also unanimously approved another urgent proposal submitted by five MPs led by Ammar Qambar to present trainee medics who served during the pandemic with the Prince Salman Bin Hamad Medal for Medical Merit and cash rewards.
They have approved an urgent proposal by five MPs, led by Dr Abdulla Al Thawadi, to change the maximum bank loans’ instalments repayments from seven years up to 15 years to help ensure a reschedule that wouldn’t harm spending or public commitment.
Loans have been deferred since March 2020 until June 2022 to help people meet their expenses and ensure cash flow in the market.
All have been referred to the Cabinet for review.
Parliament has also unanimously approved an urgent proposal by 27 MPs to make a statement on the 21st anniversary of the National Action Charter and tasked Speaker Fouzia Zainal to issue it on their behalf. Ms Zainal at the beginning of yesterday’s session also read out her own statement on the occasion.
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