Sounds reasonable.
From the Arab Times site:
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Employing women
Article 22: It is prohibited to employ women at night – from 10:00 pm to 7:00 am. This excludes hospitals, sanatoriums, other private treatment homes and establishments for which the minister of social affairs and labor will issue a decision. The work site should comply with all the conditions mentioned in this article by ensuring the security of women and providing them with means of transportation to and from the workplace. Work hours during Ramadan are excluded from the rules of this article.
Article 23: It is prohibited to employ women in hazardous jobs or those that are harmful to their health. It is also prohibited to let them engage in jobs that defy the morality code and exploit their womanhood. They should not work in institutions which provide services exclusive for men.
A decision to determine such jobs will be issued by the minister of social affairs and labor after consulting the Consultative Committee for Labor Affairs and the concerned organization
Article 24: A pregnant woman will get a 70-day paid leave, not included in her other leaves, for delivery on the condition that she gives birth within this period.
After completing the maternity leave, the employer can grant a working woman, based on her request, leave of not more than four months without pay to care for the baby.
The employer should not terminate a working woman while she is on such leaves or if she took sick leave due to an illness caused by pregnancy or delivery as per a medical report issued by her attending physician.
Article 25: Working women are entitled to a two-hour break during work hours to nurse their babies in accordance with the conditions stipulated in the ministry’s decision. The employer must establish a nursery for children below four years old if he has more than 50 female workers or not more than 200 men.
.Article 26: A working woman deserves a similar wage granted to men if she is engaged in the same job.
MBH said:
Why are you listing women-related law proposals only? The rest of the proposed laws are great as well, like the one that enforces the full payment of indemnities after 10 years of working for a company.
Most companies will give you only half of your indemnity if you quit rather than being fired.
As for the wages of women, I’ve seen it happen: a female engineer got a salary lower than a similarly qualified male engineer — because she’s a female.
But if you look at it from another perspective, it costs more to hire women: 70-day paid maternity leave + day care for kids + other things that don’t come to mind now.
If I have a female developer who’s working on a project, then time came for her maternity leave, it’s a huge cost to pay 70 days for someone who’s not doing work for the company.
jewaira said:
MBH
I linked to the source and I already quoted more than enough from the original article.
We had discussed before one proposal that women were not allowed to work past 8 pm and there was a big debate on that. Glad to see it has changed.
I really don’t agree that there should be a difference in salaries amongst men and women of similar qualification regardless of the “excuses” the employer might give. If I were a qualified engineer working for a company that endorses family values and the right of women to pursue creating a family, I would certainly have more loyalty to that company or insititution. I think it would be a good investment in the long run to provide employees with such perks. An employee who feels secure is more likely to perform better.
RT said:
Dear MBH,
Please note that it is not only you who will hire a women employee. Your women relatives will be hired by some other employers. So it is full circle which adds value to the betterment of the society. The kids, no matter whose, are our future and everyone in whatevr way has to spend little of the present for them…Everything should not and cannot be looked from money perspective. After all what is the percentage of women in work place compared to men and how many of them are of child bearing age. Remember, absence of such regulations are already resulting into women not wanting to get married, not wanting to have children etc etc which is disturbing the social balance that cannot be compensated by the money that you saved by not hiring the women employee.
MBH said:
Hey whoa, hold on there! You make it sound like I agree with NOT hiring women, which is not true! I was only stating what I’ve seen businesses do and how they justify it.
If you look at it from the perspective of equality, then there should be something for men that is equates them with the maternity leave, no?
I honestly don’t know how many women get pregnant in a company throughout their working period in that company, nor the number of times a woman got pregnant. Some statistics would surely be useful.
But if there was a high number of them, it seems to me that male workers should have some sort of similar paid leave as well.
I know, women going for delivery aren’t really enjoying their time during those 70 days, so why should men have the luxury of an actual paid leave where they could have fun, ha?
I guess I’m still kinda confused about this :p
RT said:
Paternity leave
))) after the mom return to work at the end of 70 days….. sounds good and make it compulsary….
jewaira said:
I think men should be entitled to paternity leave to bond with the baby
harmonie22 said:
Actually, there is one institution in Kuwait that grants paternity leave- The American University of Kuwait! They’ve had this policy in place since 2004. While it may only be for three days and only at one institution, its a start.
jewaira said:
That’s progressive
purpleram said:
Is this going to apply to people entering into new contracts or will it apply to those already under a valid labour contract?
This is crucial for those of us who are long term employees who currently are scheduled to get only 1/2 their end of term benefits should they opt to quit. if not, I guess it hardly matters this stage since all of us will have to work 10 years more to qualify for full benefits !
MBH said:
You ask the very same question I had in mind but didn’t find an answer to, yet.
jewaira said:
I would consult a lawyer or the legal department at your work place and get advice on how you may benefit
MBH said:
I left my previous company. I was just wondering and I highly doubt I’d get anything useful from the lawyer at my previous company :p
snr said:
if u did that people would look at you weird
snr said:
hahahaha -> email subscription lol
jewaira said:
So?
snr said:
don’t worry dear, you’re worth it
. however, i prefer the menial aspect of accessing your blog every time to check 
.
jewaira said:
hehehe
now that’s what I like to hear
gorky said:
So women won’t be able to work from 10PM to 7AM? Does this mean ALL women or just Kuwaitis? Who will operate the shops at the Avenues from 10PM on? Particularly the MAC shops or women’s clothes. Will you be helped with that new brassiere by men?
jewaira said:
Avenues and the like should be closed by 10 pm. It’s ridiculous to keep all those employees (men included) in malls past 10 pm.
I mean if anyone has a dire need to shop, you would think they would organize their time better. You don’t absolutely need that bra that late at night lol
And speaking of men in lingerie shops, that used to be very common here in Kuwait
Purgatory said:
Article 25 is the Egyptian Version?
jewaira said:
Huh?
SoKu Vibes said:
Paternity leave for Kuwait is totally a rad idea, considering there are so many toy boy husbands out there in straight Kuwait society.Their wives – much better qualified and older (and it is to be expected wiser) than they are, have better things to do than to sit around lounging at home all day changing diapers etc. It’s the least the men can do for putting their wives through 9 months of hard labor (i.e.pregnancy) and culminating in a climacteric called delivery. Although paternity leave will throw the man of the house at the deep end, it will also enable him to learn to bathe his child, feed and cook for it as well as to be in charge of the ablution department for a change!
jewaira said:
I wonder where you get your statistics from?
I would like to know the number of toyboy husbands lol
SFR said:
Can a pregnant lady be terminated during her 6 month of pregnancy in kuwait. or is there any rule
MBH said:
Companies are not allowed to fire women during pregnancy nor during their maternity leave. And this is according to the old laws so the new ones might have more restrictions on such terminations.
jewaira said:
MBH Thanks I’m not familiar with these kinds of regulations.
MBH said:
You’re welcome. I came across such an incident at my previous employer.
If the company does issue such a termination, you can threaten them with a lawsuit AND file a complaint at the Ministry of Affairs.
If you do file a complaint only, you’ll be able to keep your job by fired after work immediately, obviously.
However, if you do file a lawsuit, you can sue for triple the amount of salary to make up for emotional damage.
In either way, the new laws by the ministry of affairs have been applied for a few months and now if you do get fired, your employer is forced to keep you on the payroll for 3 months to give you a chance to get a new job.
jhoanna said:
hi..your pretty much good regarding kuwaits legal issues..i just want to have an idea how to solve this problem i have with my new employer now I’m Joan. I’m here in Kuwait for around 3 years already. I’m holding an article 20( domestic worker) have given a release from my old employer in Riqqah without any payment at all for the release and been hired in Almahalia Medical Homecare Corp and now I’m here in Salmiya with a new sponsor( a divorced Kuwaiti woman )but the problem is the husband of my sponsor didn’t allow me to work in a particular company and that I am obliged to follow what he prepares (like he will be the one who gives work but its 3 mo. already and still didn’t get a job) for he said that the sponsorship has been transfer into his name though the truth is ,it wasn’t transferred and if I insist I will pay an amount worth KD600-KD1000 wherein my old employer never ask any single penny from me when he releases me…
the question are:
1)does the husband have the authority to demand such thing?
2) More so is there a possibility that my embassy could help me regarding this problem?
3)is it OK to file this case in labor office in our embassy(Philippine embassy)? and is it possible that i can work to a private company even my employer refuses to give a release and if ever they give..is it necessary to compensate them that much amount even they get me from my old employer without any payment?..im working as domestic helper before and now im hired locally but i cant start to work because of this conflict issue and im a college
mudasser said:
aslam alakam sir i want to get information about government project visa releaze according to new kuwaiti law 2010.
jewaira said:
wish I could help mudasser but I have no clue
Mark said:
What companies have to abide by Kuwait Labor Laws? We have Visa 18, work at KGL via US Gov. are we under the Kuwait Labor Laws also. SAIC is so is VSE Corp. Or what?
jewaira said:
You should ask at your place of work for that information or refer to a lawyer
mary said:
hi, i need answer of my question would somebody will help me?i am pregnaent and in my last term working in private sector my menager tells he will give me maternity leave money after my leave finish is it lawful? infact i need money right now what should i do? i need advise
pam robinson said:
Yes you are under the labor laws of Kuwait regardless. Is your contracting officer making you aware of this?
ahmed abdul karim said:
I am in Kuwait for last 3years and 4 month and my company has kept my passport with themselves and I transferred my resigned through ( shoun ) the Kuwait Labor department now I need to get back my passport but my company is not ready to. Either there is any provision in Kuwaiti law that company cans doe so.
jewaira said:
Consult a lawyer Ahmed or the legal department in the place you transferred to they may be able to help
Vin Halili said:
I was here in Kuwait since 2004 and worked in three different company.The last company that I work with closed already and work with them for just 7 months.I applied to a new one but they told me that my visa cant be tranfer since the law said I must be with them for a minimum of one year.Kindly advice me how can work it out?Is there any chances that my visa be tranfer.Hoping for your reply. Tnx.
jewaira said:
Vin I am sorry that I cannot help you with your problem. Do consider consulting a lawyer or post your problem in the Arab Times I think there is a legal page there.
jhoanna said:
hi im here in kuwait for 3 years..i have given a release from my old employer in Riqqah without any payment at all. and now im here in salmiya with my new employer.recently i have knewn that his wife is my true sponsor and they are divorce.and Ive found a job which i could work but the problem is the husband demand a release payment worth KD1000 thought his not my sponsor..and the payment is too much though she get me from my old sponsor without any single penny…i need a little help from you guys…
fonsmoonen said:
You need a legal contract for fight your right.
That is the way it works here, in my Lowland country.
jhoanna said:
thanks much fonsmoonen..your reply is more appreciated..and by the way where can i get that legal matter u said? is it OK to file this case in labor office in our embassy(Philippine embassy)? and is it possible that i can work to a private company even my employer refuses to give a release and if ever they give..is it necessary to compensate them that much amount even they get me from my old employer without any payment?..im working as domestic helper before and now im hired locally but i cant start to work because of this conflict issue and im a college graduate.
fonsmoonen said:
Wish you all the luck, my Lowland country is Holland that is where I have my labour experience.Until now most cases (that I know) where secured by legal agreements.
Really have no idea how it work in Kuwait, but, employer-workers conflicts have to be judged by an Independent Institute if that consists .And for that you need legal documents,contracts.
You have to wait for the Boudoir Boss replay ´ think she is more specific in this matter and hopefully she can help you out this uncomfortable position.
jhoanna said:
thanks much once again…really too bad that i don’t know regarding this issues concerning legal matter ..well anyways your suggestion is really must appreciated.hoping so that this thing would be solve as soon as possible..it really gives me much head paining cause they are forcing me to fine a job for they need the money..
best regards to u anyway
jewaira said:
Thank you dear Fons for taking over in my absence
Sorry Jhoanna I cannot help you with that issue as I am not specialized in that area
jhoanna said:
thanks much indeed to those who give any small ideas regarding my concern & trying to help me with all the possibilities you all have….
its an honored for me to be here..