A Guide on Statutory Leaves in Oman
Jahid Tapadar
Granting leaves is a policy of companies that aims at the well-being of their employees. Leaves are allowed to them for their needs, and like every other country Oman also has certain fixed leaves to which the employees are entitled. Here we are discussing about the statutory leaves granted in Oman.
In Oman, employees are entitled to the following Leaves as specified in the labor law;
- Annual leave
- Sick leave
- Maternity leave
- Hajj Leave
- Compassionate leave
- Official national holidays
Annual Leave Policy in Oman
According to Article 61 of the Oman Labour Law, upon completion of six months of service with the employer, an employee is entitled to a paid annual leave for a period of thirty days for every calendar year.
Frequently asked questions
- Is annual leave in the Oman based on calendar days?
Yes, as a general practice annual leave is calculated based on calendar days which include any public holidays and weekends that fall within this period. - Can the employer determine when the employee leave will be taken?
An employee and an employer can agree when the annual leave can be taken by mutual agreement. The employer may postpone the annual leave of a worker for one succeeding year. The worker shall go on leave at least for a period of two weeks once in every two years. - How is Oman national/public holidays that fall within an employee’s annual leave treated?
Any public holidays that fall within the period of annual leave will be considered as part of the leave. - Can an employee claim compensation for unutilized leaves at termination of contract?
Yes, The worker shall be entitled to the basic wage for the balance of his annual leave if he leave the company before exhausting such leave. - Can an employee work for another employer during their annual leave?
An employee is prohibited from working for another employer while taking his annual leave. If an employee does, employer has the right to recover the amount of wage paid for that period.
Sick Leave policy in Oman
As per Article 66, an employee whose sickness is proved shall have the right to a sick leave not exceeding in total ten weeks in one year whether such weeks are continuous or separate and the sick leave shall be granted as follows:
- The first and second week, with full gross salary.
- The third and fourth week, with three-quarters of the gross salary.
- The fifth and sixth week, with half the gross salary.
- The seventh to the tenth week, with a quarter of the gross salary.
Proof of sickness shall be confirmed through a medical certificate. However, in case there is a dispute, the matter shall be referred to the Medical Committee, provided for in Article (43) of this Law.
Maternity Leave policy in Oman
According to Article 83, A female employee shall have the right to a special fifty-day maternity leave covering the periods before and after delivery with full salary for not more than three times during her service with the employer.
Hajj Leave policy in Oman
Muslim Employees get a special leave to perform Hajj once and only after one year of continuous employment. The leave may be up to 15 days which shall be once throughout the period of service. This is a paid leave.
Paternity Leave
The Oman Labor law is silent about paternity leave and employees are not eligible for this leave as per Oman Law.
Marriage leave
Employees are granted a three-day paid marriage leave with a gross salary. This type of leave can only be granted once throughout the entire service period.
Compassionate Leave
Compassionate leave is granted for three days in the case of the death of a first-degree relative, and for two days in the case of a second-degree relative.
Examinations leave.
Omani nationals’ employees who are studying in schools, colleges, or universities in the country are granted fifteen days per year for the purposes of taking their examinations.
Iddah Leave
In the case of a married Muslim female employee is widowed, she is granted 130 days of paid leave to mourn the death of her husband.
Oman Public Holidays
The fully-paid official holidays are as follows:
- New Year
- The Prophet’s Ascension (Israa Wal Miraj)
- Eid Al-Fitr: 4 days
- Eid Al-Adha: 4 days
- Prophet’s Birthday:
- Islamic New Year
- Oman National Day
*Please note, Islamic holidays are determined according to moon sighting
Leaves are a mandatory policy as it ensures to provide a work-life balance to the employees. Every employee deserves to have a break from the hectic office schedules and is allowed to have some time for themselves. Employees must look into the leave policies of the country they are working in as it will be different for every country.
For information on the payroll process in Oman click on this link
Payroll service in Oman
The payroll is a complicated process, which is why it is always better to outsource it. Outsourcing of payroll processes will ensure you with professional calculations and will ease your trouble of going through it and lets you focus on other functions in the organization.
Payroll involves highly sensitive data which is why one should be careful in choosing the right entity to outsource your payrolls.
HLB HAMT is a leading payroll outsourcing company and we provide highly experienced and professionals teams to handle your payroll. We take utmost care to process your payroll functions including preparation of payroll reports, processing salary payment with WPS compliance, accrual management including Gratuity, pension funds, an online portal for accessing payslips, and many more. Our qualified team guarantees to provide the best quality services to you.
Disclaimer:
Whilst every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of this information, HLB HAMT will not accept any liability arising out of errors or omissions. Please note that this blog is not all-inclusive. Our guidance is designed only to give general information on the issues/topics covered. It is subjected to change and not intended to be a comprehensive summary of all laws which may be applicable to your situation, treat exhaustively the subjects covered, provide legal advice, or render a legal opinion.
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