A specialist in domestic labor affairs, Bassam Al-Shammari, confirmed that charging the domestic worker the service and treatment fee in hospitals and clinics is contrary to the domestic labor law, reported a local daily. He said that the domestic labor law does not allow any part of the salary to be deducted in any way, referring to the Ministry of Health’s decision to increase expat workers’ treatment fees, including domestic workers.
Al-Shammari said in a statement that this will add a new problem to the domestic labor market, which he said is already suffering, especially due to the high cost that burdens agency owners and sponsors, indicating that it will lead to an increase in the rate of labor complaints between sponsors and workers and the reluctance of workers to perform their duties.
Moreover, he urged employers to not violate the domestic labor law, while calling for a review of the fees for dispensing medicine for domestic workers and not charging the worker any amount whatsoever in accordance with Article 8 of the Domestic Labor Law No. 68 of 2015, which states that “the payment of the monthly wage for the worker shall be from the actual date of their taking over of the work with the employer, and in no case may any part of the salary be deducted.” In addition, he said that Article 9 obliges the employer to feed and clothe the domestic worker, as well as pay for the expenses of their treatment, nursing and housing.