Domestic Workers’ Legal Guide

  A guide to general labour rights Domestic house workers in Kuwait perform many essential duties in private households. They clean, cook, care for children, look after elderly family members, and perform other tasks for their employers. Despite their important role they can be exploited and to prevent this from happening  Domestic worker laws provide the following terms and conditions. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Clause The Right Article  Treatment and Compensation for Employee Sustaining an Injury If a domestic employee is subject to an accident while practicing work or during working hours, the employer is obliged to pay for treatment and compensate the employee for his/her injury Article 22(1) Domestic Workers Law Article 13(1) Executive Regulations Maintaining Personal Identification An employer shall not retain the passport, ID card or any other personal document belon…

  Duties of Domestic Workers The duties of individual domestic housekeepers vary widely. Some housekeepers have complete responsibility and authority to plan and carry out many household duties. Others are given very specific duties and are closely supervised. To protect the interest of the employers Domestic worker laws provide the following guidelines. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Clause The Responsibility Article Implementing Instructions The domestic employee shall carry out the employer’s instructions as stipulated in the contract Article 13 Domestic Workers Law Article 9 Executive Regulations Carrying out the Work The domestic employee shall carry out the work agreed in the contract and take the usual care in its execution Article 14 Domestic Workers Law Article 9 Executive Regulations Protecting Property and Confidentiality The employee shall safeguard the property o…

  General rights of the employer and employee The employer should receive the domestic worker within 24 hours of his/her arrival in Kuwait There are no legal fees on cases filed at the Labour Court If a domestic worker submits a complaint against an employer who then cancels his/ her residency, then the worker may be eligible to apply for temporary residency until his/her complaint is considered A domestic worker is entitled to keep a copy of his/her contract. In the event of disagreement over the interpretation of the terms of the contract between the different languages used, then the Arabic text prevails Source - Times Kuwait  

  Assault   Clause Definition Article  Simple assault Simple assault includes spitting, pulling hair, or clothes, or spraying with water; as well as physical beating that does not leave a mark Article 163 of the Penal Code  Actual Bodily Harm Mild beating includes beating that leaves a mark or results in a wound Article 160 of the Penal Code Grievous Bodily Harm Severe beating includes beating with dangerous items such as knives, firearms, substances that cause burning, etc.; as well as beating that leads to permanent disability Article 161 of the Penal Code Article 162 of the Penal Code   Sanction Report to Evidence  Misdemeanour punished by imprisonment for a period not exceeding 3 months and a fine not exceeding 300 K.D., or either of these two punishments Local police station where the incident occurred Witnesses  Misdemeanour punished by two years’ imprisonment and a fine not exce…

Advice on Residency Law The residency will be canceled if a worker’s absence from Kuwait exceeds 6 months. A foreign national who is awaiting deportation may be detained for a period of no more than thirty days if such detainment is essential for the execution of the deportation order. A foreign national can be deported from Kuwait by order of the Minister of Interior if he/she is not in possession of a residence permit or if his/ her permit has expired. The foreign national may return to Kuwait if the appropriate conditions are met. Hosting, housing, or employing any foreigner who resides illegally in the country is prohibited, and it is also prohibited to employ a foreigner during the course of his/her employment contract with a third party. A foreign national who has previously been deported from Kuwait may not return to the country, unless given special permission by the Minister of Interior. (adsbygoogle = wi…

Domestic Workers' Legal Guide, iiQ8, A Guide by One Roof Domestic workers are vulnerable to exploitation, violence, harassment, and forced labour, many women and men end up being trapped in abusive work situations which in some cases may amount to modern forms of slavery. While the relationship between the employer and domestic worker in Kuwait is successful and effective in most cases, it is still important for domestic workers to be knowledgeable of their legal rights and responsibilities in order to be familiar with the rules that regulate their work and be able to demand their rights in case they were violated. The standard Domestic Worker Law is very specific regarding many aspects of employment, such as the amount of pay, end of service benefits, accommodation, health care, where you should work, the nature of your work and other details. Although it is not a guarantee for protection, knowing your rights is the first step in protectin…