A NEW legislation that would have forced expatriate employees to undergo medical check-ups whenever their contracts were up for renewal has been put on hold pending further assessment.
An amendment to Article 24 of the 2006 Labour Market Regulatory Law has been presented by five Shura members spearheaded by youth and sport committee vice-chairwoman Sabeeka Al Fadhala.
However, a letter was read out by Shura Council chairman Ali Saleh Al Saleh during the weekly session yesterday and before a vote that the five members have sought time to further assess the matter.
“We strongly want check-ups to be done before renewals, but technicalities with the government bodies concerned require further clarification,” Ms Al Fadhala told the GDN.
“The move will ensure that Bahrain is free from viral and contagious diseases that a worker may bring after a holiday or that he may acquire in Bahrain.”
The Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA) told the Shura services committee that Article 24 already stipulated mandatory medical check-ups for the issuance of a new work permit.
“Article 24 also states that the LMRA has the authority to introduce further organisational rules for issuance of new work permits,” said the LMRA in writing.
“The outcome sought by the legislators is being fulfilled through existing procedures.”
Ms Al Fadhala and her colleagues, however, pointed out that LMRA rules were subject to change unlike a law.
“Currently, the law only states that newly-recruited expat workers should undergo medical check-ups while no health checks have been specified when contracts are up for renewal.
“We have decided to propose the move after Health Minister Faeqa Al Saleh told us that expats in certain professions were exempted from medical check-ups.”
Meanwhile, Shura members postponed for a week amendments to the 1976 Social Insurance Law that would see family members registered as company employees under the Social Insurance Organisation (SIO).
It comes as Parliament and Shura Council Affairs Minister Ghanim Al Buainain asked Shura and the SIO to show leniency with Parliament’s amendments to have them passed without being referred back to Parliament.
The SIO agreed to address the matter with the board and come back with a decision.
The upper chamber of the National Assembly suspended a debate on amendments to the 2002 Fishing Organisation, Catching and Protection Law that would have allowed permits to be inherited by family members in case of death.
Discussions on the matter were first suspended in April this year.
According to the amendments, the family will have to have a Bahraini fisherman on board handling the licence if inheritors are under-aged children.
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