Employers will be obliged to pay full wages for six months to any employee injured at work, under the new Private Sector Labour Law proposed to be intorduced in Bahrain.

This would be reduced to half-pay after six months, until the injured worker returned to duty, Shura Council members heard.

Employers will be held liable for injury or sickness caused by work, unless the injury is self-inflicted or the victim was under the influence of drugs or alcohol, the council heard.

Injured or sick workers would have to be certified unfit for work by a medical commission, before being entitled to long-term sick pay or compensation, under the proposal.

But if the injury is self-inflicted at the work place, or the employee was under the influence of drugs or alcohol, the employer will have the right to terminate the employment contract without compensation.

The employee will not be compensated or treated if he or she fails to follow safety and vocational standards and requirements, says the new law. But it would be up to the employer to prove that the employee was in the wrong.

Meanwhile, a new clause proposed yesterday stipulates that employees under the age of 18 will not be allowed to sign employment contracts.

It was presented by council woman and child committee chairwoman Dalal Al Zayed, who said that employers had no legal obligation to a contract signed by someone below the age of 18.

She said that the new law gives those aged 15 years and above the right to join the labour market, but they should be considered probationary until they are 18 and legally able to sign a contract.

The council approved the amendment in principle, but decided to take a decision on it next week. Labour Minister Dr Majeed Al Alawi did not object. - TradeArabia News Service