Bahrain - Working time - 2011

16 May 2011

The Labour Law for the Private Sector, promulgated by Amiri Decree-Law No.23 of 1976 as amended up to Legislative Decree No.14 of 1993. and Law No.30 of 2005.

Order No. 6/1976 Respecting industries and dangerous occupations harmful to health of juveniles.

Order No. 11/1977 with respect to the hours of work during the Holy Month of Ramadhan for Non-Moslem workers.

Order No. 19/1976 Respecting the limitation of instances and occupations in which work may continue without rest break.

Order No. 20/1976 Limiting days of feasts, seasons, other occasions and seasonal work on which workers may be required to work overtime.

Worker means any person, male or female, employed for remuneration of any kind in the service of an employer and under his control or supervision.

Employer means any person or body corporate employing one or more workers for remuneration of any kind.

Overtime work is the work performed in extra hours from the normal working time.

Night work is the work performed during the night which is the period between sunset and sunrise, the duration of which shall be deemed to being from 7 o’clock in the evening to 7 o’clock in the morning.

A juvenile worker means every male or female person of fourteen years of age but not exceeding sixteen years of age.

Hours of work for each worker shall not exceed eight hours per day.

The hours of work during the month of Ramadhan shall not exceed six hours per day.

This limitation does not apply to non-Moslem workers.

The Minister for Labour and Social Affairs may make an Order prescribing specific regulations governing the daily hours of work for certain occupations or for certain categories of workers if the circumstances and the nature of the work so require.

Hours of work for each worker shall not exceed forty-eight hours per week.

The hours of work during the month of Ramadhan shall not exceed thirty-six hours per week.

This limitation does not apply to non-Muslim workers.

A worker may be employed for extra hours if this is required for the interest of the business.

The hours of work and intervals for rest shall be regulated in such a way that no worker shall be present at the place of work for more than eleven hours a day calculated from the time of entering the said place until his departure therefrom.

The basic and extra hours of work shall not exceed sixty hours per week unless the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs shall have granted permission for a long period.

A worker shall receive payment for each extra hour equivalent to hours wage entitlement increased by a minimum of twenty five percent thereof for hours worked during the day, and by a minimum of fifty percent thereof for hours worked during the night which shall be deemed to being from seven o’clock in the evening until seven o’clock in the morning.

No worker shall work for more than six consecutive hours without a preceding interval for rest or a meal of not less than half an hour duration which shall not be deemed to be part of the hours of work.

The Minister for Labour and Social Affairs may make an Order prescribing such cases or works which, for technical reasons or for circumstances of work, require the continuance of work without an interval for rest provided that the employer permits the workers to partake of liquid refreshments, liquid food or the take rest during working hours as shall be regulated by the management of the establishment.

With that in mind, work may continue without rest break in the following instances and occupations;
-employment in operations which continue without cessation on a regular shift schedule.
-employment in public utilities and wireless and radio communications.
-employment in the operation of power generators.
-employment in administrative and office work.
-employment in offices of airline companies, airports and ports.
-employment in hospitals, sanatoria and other infirmaries.
-the plastic industries.
-cinemas and theatres.
-employment in bakeries.
-employment in pharmacies.
-travelling salesmen and commercial representatives when performing their duties outsides their establishments.

An employer shall grant a worker a weekly day of rest on full pay for a period of no more than 24 successive hours, provided that the weekly hours of work shall not be more than 48 hours.

Friday shall be deemed to be a weekly day of rest on full pay.

An employer may alter this day to any other day of the week for certain of his workers, provided the number of days worked does not exceed six days a week.

An employer shall require a worker to work on his weekly day of rest if so require for the interest of the business.

An employee who is required to work on his weekly day shall be paid an overtime wage equivalent to 150% of his normal wage or, he shall be granted another day for rest.

No worker shall be employed on his weekly day of rest more than twice consecutively unless he gives his consent to such employment.

To be entitled to enjoy annual leave , the worker shall at least completed one year’s continuous service.

Every worker is entitled to not less than 21 days of annual leave for each year of work. After 5 years of work, the worker is entitled to increase such number of days to at least 28 days.

A Muslim worker may get a 2 week paid vacation to perform the pilgrimage once during the period of his service provided that his service with the employer shall not be less than 5 continuous years.

Annual leave is paid as 100% of the normal salary.

A worker shall be entitled to receive a cash consideration equivalent to his wages for the days of annual leave due to him after two-year period if he terminates the contract of employment before having taken all his annual leave and such payment shall be for the period which he has not taken as due leave.

An employer is entitled to schedule the date of annual leave. Such leave, other than the first half of the prescribed entitlement, may be taken at intervals with the consent of the worker.

An employer may approve the deferment of the annual leave entitlement at the request of a worker for a period not exceeding two years provided the worker shall take ten consecutive days of his annual leave entitlement in each year.

Official holidays on full wage which shall be granted to a worker
are as follows; First day of Al-Hijra Calendar Year, Eid El-Adha, Eid El-Fitr, 1st Muharram, 10th ,11th and 12th Thulhaja, 1st , 2nd ,and 3rd Shawal, The Prophet’s Birthday, 12th Rabie Al-Awal, National Day, 16th December, Ashoora, 9th and 10th Muharram, First day of the New Gregorian Year, 1st January.

If a Friday or any official holiday coincides with any one of the aforementioned official holidays, a day in lieu thereof shall be granted.

Public Holidays are paid as 100% of the normal salary.

Workers can be compelled to work on any official holiday if the conditions of the work so requires against an increase in the remuneration.

The compensation for work performed during any public holiday shall be equivalent to 150% rate of his normal wage or, he shall be granted another day in lieu thereof.

A worker shall be entitled to leave on full pay as follows:

· Three days in the event of his marriage;
· Three days in the event of the death of his/her spouse or any of his/her relatives to the fourth degree of relationship;
· Three days in the case of death of his/her spouse’s relatives to the first degree of relationship and one day to the fourth degree of relationship.
· One day upon the birth of his child.

Concerning the aforementioned circumstances, the employer shall be entitled to request the worker to submit the documents establishing the facts relating thereto.

Juvenile workers shall not be employed during the period of night which is between sunset and sunrise, the duration of which shall be not less than eleven hours.

No female shall be employed between the hours of 8 p.m. and 7 a.m. except employment in infirmaries and other institutions for which the conditions of work therein shall be prescribed in an Order to be made by the Minister for Labour and Social Affairs.