Azlan Othman
The enforcement officers from the Law Enforcement Division of the Labour Department conducted inspections on 119 foreign staff quarters of 89 companies from August 1-27.
The operation aimed to enforce the rules and regulations of the Employment Order, 2009 and to ensure workers’ welfare is taken care of by the employers in accordance with the requirements of the Foreign Workers Licence and Employment Order 2009, particularly in ensuring that their accommodations are in good condition.
The operation also aimed to enforce the law under the Employment Order 2009, particularly under Section 80 and Section 81, which states the employer’s obligations in providing employees with a clean, comfortable and safe place to live, and the construction and ensuring employees’ quarters comply with the requirements of other written laws.
The inspection also aimed to ensure that the employees’ quarters are in accordance with the minimum standards of the housing guidelines issued by the Labour Department.
Two companies were instructed to move their employees to places that meet the minimum standards for living quarters, especially having the capacity of rooms that can accommodate the number of employees in authorised places.
Employers failing to comply with the requirements under Section 80 and Section 81 of the Employment Order 2009 may face a BND600 fine for the first offence, BND900 for the second offence; while subsequent offences are subject to prosecution.
If convicted, violators can face a fine of no more than BND3,000, imprisonment of no more than one year or both.
