NEW privileges for female employees in the private sector will take centre stage during the Shura Council’s weekly session on Sunday.
These include reserving certain jobs for Bahrainis; plans to allow women to get two hours off work daily to care for their children until they reach the age of two; and treating women who have had a miscarriage or authorised emergency abortion after 24 weeks of pregnancy or suffered a stillbirth treated on par with women who have undergone labour.
Parliament has approved all the three measures, but the Shura’s services committee has recommended rejecting them.
The first measure is an amendment to the 2006 Labour Market Regulatory Law that involves drawing up separate lists for jobs that only Bahrainis should be employed in, while giving updated charts with ratios of Bahrainis to expats in a sector or commercial activity.
It would grant exceptions to employ expats in Bahraini-only jobs in select cases and for limited periods depending on the need or the unavailability of suitable candidates.
The Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA) has said the move would be difficult to implement.
“We have experimented with Bahraini-only jobs before but it led to various problems at companies and businesses,” it said.
“It also contradicts the government’s vision to make Bahrainis the first choice without coercion.
“The government has managed to drop unemployment rates from 17 per cent to 3.8pc over the years by programmes aimed at raising Bahrainis’ appeal as the first choice.”
The Bahrain Chamber said that the labour market was dynamic and such restrictions would just disrupt the proper supply and demand of labour.
The Bahrain Free Labour Unions Federation said the cost of hiring expat labour should be increased to lower their appeal to businesses and companies.
Shura’s services committee said the labour market needed to be flexible.
Amendment
“The proposed move would just drag the system into a more bureaucratic procedure in which much-needed permits are delayed until a suitable Bahraini candidate is found.
The upper chamber of the National Assembly will also debate plans to allow working mothers in the private sector two hours off work daily to care for their children until they reach the age of two – under another amendment to the 2012 Private Sector Employment Law.
Shura Council services committee chairwoman Dr Jihad Al Fadhel said the current rules were fair and did not threaten equality.
The Labour and Social Development Ministry said the new move could harm the chances of women being employed or allowed to continue in jobs in the private sector, and this could mean additional operating costs.
The Bahrain Chamber has also opposed the amendment.
However, the plan was backed by the Supreme Council for Women, Bahrain’s two trade unions and Bahrain Women’s Association for Human Development.
The current rule gives working mums two hours off daily for up to six months and an hour up to a year.
Civil servants get two hours for up to two years in government jobs.
Meanwhile, private sector women employees who have had a miscarriage or authorised emergency abortion after 24 weeks of pregnancy or suffered a stillbirth could be treated on par with women who have undergone labour, under amendments to the same 2012 law.
The move seeks to grant women who suffer a miscarriage, authorised emergency abortion or stillbirth 60 days’ leave with pay and prohibits them from returning to work unless they have completed 40 days after the procedure. If they wish to work during the period, they are entitled to overtime pay.
In addition, women wishing for a further 15 days’ leave can take it without pay should the 60 days be over.
If the miscarriage or abortion happens before 20 weeks then leave of between seven and 14 days with pay could be granted depending on a medical assessment from a government or private hospital, clinic or health centre.
Should it occur between 20 and 24 weeks, women could be entitled for 30 days’ leave with pay again depending on medical certification.
The Labour and Social Development Ministry said such an amendment would harm the employment of women.
The Shura Council will also debate a draft reply to His Majesty King Hamad’s address at the opening of the fourth session of the fifth legislative term last month.
mohammed@gdn.com.bh
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