Roewayda Abrahams

Royal Decree No.82 of 2020 (RD) creates the new job security fund (Fund) and comes into force on 1 November 2020. The Fund is a step towards greater social protection for Omani employees whose services have been terminated and job seekers (the Insured). The RD effectively applies a levy on all employers in Oman (Employers) to cover Omani employees for a limited time after they have lost their income. Non-Omanis cannot benefit from the Fund.

Oman is undergoing a constitutional shake-up in what has been hailed as the most sweeping reforms introduced yet by His Majesty, Sultan Haitham bin Tarek. A remarkable 28 new Omani Royal Decrees were announced on 18 August 2020 which signals a step in reducing the number of ministries (from 26 to 19) and the overall size of the government, and decentralising power by devolving authority from His Majesty to a number of these ministries.

On 31 May 2020, Lieutenant General Hassan Mohsin Al Shuraiqi, the Inspector-General of Police and Customs, announced a decision of the Royal Oman Police 157/2020 (Decision), which permits the transfer of an expatriate employee to another employer in Oman, in cases where the employment contract with the existing employer has ended. This Decision shall be published in the Official Gazette and will be implemented from 1 January 2021.