Kuwait launches campaign to protect domestic workers’ rights

• The Public Authority for Manpower stressed that domestic worker requests must be made through licensed channels, not platforms like WhatsApp or Snapchat, and workers cannot be assigned outside Kuwait without their consent, with employers responsible for repatriation costs.

• The authority stated that unauthorized transfers during the six-month guarantee period will cancel the guarantee and emphasized the need for a payment receipt or notarized contract with the office’s name and signature when recruiting a domestic worker.

• The authority emphasized employing domestic workers under the model recruitment contract for legal protection and ensuring monthly salary payments are documented through a disbursement receipt or bank transfer.

The Public Authority for Manpower has launched an awareness campaign on the rights of domestic workers and employers, emphasizing the need for employers to comply with laws regulating domestic work to safeguard the rights of both parties, Al Anba reported.

The authority emphasized the importance of adhering to the terms of the employment contract and ensuring that domestic workers are not transferred to another employer without the knowledge of the Labor Recruitment Regulation Department.

Unauthorized transfers during the six-month guarantee period will result in the cancellation of the guarantee. It also stressed that when recruiting a domestic worker, a payment receipt or a notarized contract must be obtained, clearly showing the name of the office and its signature on the documents.

The authority emphasized that requests for domestic workers should only be made through licensed legal channels, not via platforms like WhatsApp or Snapchat. It also clarified that domestic workers cannot be assigned to work outside the State of Kuwait without their consent. If such assignments occur, the employer must cover the cost of repatriating the worker.

Additionally, the authority stressed the importance of employing domestic workers under the model recruitment contract prepared by the authority, which provides legal protection for both the employer and the worker.

Furthermore, the authority stressed the importance of paying the domestic worker’s monthly salary and documenting it through a disbursement receipt or a bank transfer.

If the worker decides not to continue working for the employer, the worker must not be handed over to the recruitment office within the six-month warranty period. Instead, the Department of Recruitment Regulation for Domestic Workers should be contacted to determine the reasons for discontinuation or to facilitate a legal transfer.

The authority clarified that if the domestic worker needs to leave during the warranty period, the Department of Recruitment Regulation must be consulted to ensure the employer’s right to a refund of the recruitment fees.

In case of complaints, individuals can visit the Department of Recruitment Regulation for Domestic Workers to file a report or call the hotline at 24937600. The authority emphasized that the domestic worker is entitled to an end-of-service bonus equivalent to one month’s salary for each year worked upon completing the contract period.

It was further explained that, under the law, a domestic worker cannot be assigned to work outside the State of Kuwait without their consent. If such an assignment occurs, the employer is obligated to repatriate the worker at their own expense, in accordance with Clause V, Paragraph 8, of the model tripartite work contract, which outlines the employer’s obligations. Additionally, the contract grants domestic workers the right to own and use a telephone outside working hours.

The worker’s obligation to maintain privacy and confidentiality in the workplace is important, and public morals must be observed in accordance with Clause V, Paragraph 9, of the model tripartite employment contract, which outlines the employer’s obligations.

The authority stresses the importance of paying the domestic worker’s monthly salary and documenting this payment using an exchange bond or any bank transfer method.