Muscat: The Ministry of Labour has announced a new ministerial decision that regulates remote work. This decision is part of the Ministry’s initiative to adapt to digital transformation and enhance the work environment, ensuring a balance between production needs and workers’ rights.
According to the Labour Law established by Royal Decree No. 53/2023, the decision specifies that remote work can be conducted either full-time or part-time, allowing workers to fulfill their responsibilities using information and communication technology from locations outside the establishment’s premises within Oman. Additionally, it forbids hiring any worker from outside the Sultanate to engage in remote work.
Employers who adopt the remote work model must supply the necessary technical and communication tools to enable workers to carry out their tasks, create an electronic system for monitoring and assessing performance, and uphold workers’ privacy by banning the use of personal data for purposes unrelated to work.
In exchange, remote workers are required to perform their tasks personally during the designated working hours, safeguard the confidentiality of information and systems, and report any problems that could impact their performance.
They also have the right to disconnect from the employer’s systems if any tools or practices violate their privacy.
A written contract is required for full-time remote work, detailing essential elements such as the nature of the work, compensation, hours of work, supervision and evaluation methods, as well as commitments to occupational safety and information security.
Additionally, the ruling allows employers to mandate that part-time remote employees return to the office in instances of significant violations of directives or threats to information security.
The Ministry has affirmed that remote workers are entitled to all rights and responsibilities outlined in the Labour Law and associated regulations.
This regulation aims to promote flexibility within the labor market, facilitate digital transformation, and enhance efficiency and productivity while protecting the rights of both employers and employees.
