Qatar Labour Law Definitions and General Provisions

Article 1 –General Provision of Qatar Labour Law In the application of this law the following words and expressions shall, unless the context otherwise requires, have the meanings respectively assigned to them:

1. Ministry: Ministry of Civil Service Affairs and Housing
2. Minister: Minister of Civil Service Affairs and Housing
3. Department: Labour Department at the Ministry.
4. Employer: Any natural or juristic person employing one or more workers in return for a wage.
5. Worker: Any natural person who works in return for a wage for an employer or under his control or supervision.
6. Apprentice: Any natural person having an apprenticeship contract with an employer for his being instructed on the origins of a trade or craft or increasing his knowledge and skills thereon.
7. Juvenile: Any natural person who has reached the age of sixteen but has not reached the age of eighteen.
8. Labour: Any human effort, whether intellectual, technical or physical exerted in return for a wage.
9. Service Contract: An agreement between an employer and worker, whether of a definite or indefinite duration, whereby the worker undertakes to perform a certain work for the employer, under his direction or supervision in return for a wage.
10. Basic Wage: The rate of payment for the work done by the worker in a certain period of time or on the basis of piece or production and includes periodic increment.
11. Wage: Basic wage plus all increments allowances and bonuses paid to the worker in return for or in respect of work of whatever kind and means of calculation.
12. Vocational Training: Educating the trainee on the origins of a trade or craft or increasing his knowledge or skills thereon or qualifying the worker to change his trade by the necessary practical and theoretical means and programs.
13. Licensed Physician: The person licensed to practice the medical profession in Qatar.
14. Corporation: Any establishment in which the Qatari share capital is not less than 51 % and whose main place of business is in Qatar.
15. Establishment: Any project managed by a natural or juristic person and employing a worker or more. 16. Continuous Service: The uninterrupted service of the worker with the same employer or his legal successor. This continuous service will not be interrupted in case of periods of leave, permitted or agreed absence or stoppage of work in the establishment for reasons not related to the worker.
16. Temporary Work: The work whose nature necessitates its performance in a limited period or which is limited to a certain work and ends upon its performance.
17. Casual Work: The work which is by its very nature not included in the activities carried on by the employer and the performance of which does not take more than four weeks.
18. Work Injury: Suffering by the worker from any of the occupational diseases listed in schedule No.1 to this law or any injury resulting from an accident happening to the worker during the performance of his work or by reason thereof or on his way to or back from his work provided that the journey to and from the work is made without any break lingering, or diversion from the normal route.
19. Workers Organizations: The Workers' Committees, the General Committee for the Workers in a trade or industry and the General Union for the Workers of Qatar.
20. Competent Medical Authority: The Authority to be specified by the Ministry of Public Health.

Article 2 –Provision and Relationship between Worker and employer in Qatar Labour Law This Law shall apply to the employers and workers, and prescribe their rights and obligations and regulates the relationship between them.
Article 3 – Categories which Qatar Labour Law provision not applicable in Qatar Labour Law Except as otherwise provided for in any other law the provisions of this law shall not apply to the following categories:

1. The employees and workers of the Ministries and other governmental organs, public institutions, corporations and companies which are established by Qatar Petroleum by itself or with others, and the workers whose employment affairs are regulated by special laws.
2. The Officers and members of the armed forces and police and the workers employed at sea.
3. The workers employed in casual works.
4. The persons employed in domestic employment such as drivers, nurses, cooks, gardeners and similar workers.
5. Working members of employer's family. These are the wife, ascendants and descendants who are residing with and wholly dependent on him.
6. The workers employed in agriculture and grazing other than the persons employed in the agricultural establishments processing and marketing their own products or those who are permanently employed in the operation or repair of the necessary agricultural mechanical appliances. The provisions of this law or any part thereof may by a resolution of the Council of Ministers upon the recommendation of the Minister be applied to categories 3,4,5 & 6 referred to in this Article.

Article 4 –Provision of entitlements in Qatar Labour Law
 The entitlements prescribed by this law represent the minimum entitlements of the workers and any stipulation contradicting the provisions of this law shall be void even if it was made prior to the date of application of this law unless the said stipulation is more advantageous to the workers and any release, compromise or waiver of the entitlements prescribed for the worker by this law shall be deemed void.
Qatar Article 5 
The sums due to the worker or his heirs under this law shall have priority over all movables and immovable properties of the employer and shall have a privilege over all other debts including the debts due to the State.
Article 6 Qatar labour Law for allowing any person for work in property
 If the employer entrusts any natural or juristic person with the carrying out of the employer's original work or any part thereof such any natural or juristic person shall equally treat his workers and the workers of the original employer whom he employs for the carrying out of that work in regard to entitlements and privileges. The employer and any such natural or juristic person shall be jointly liable for the payment of these entitlements and privileges to the extent of the sums for which the employer is liable to the person entrusted with the work.

 Article 7 –Responsibilities of Entrusted person

The employer shall before the commencement of the work in his establishment notify the Department of the following particulars:

1. The name of the establishment, its location, its type of activities, its correspondence address and its telephone number.
2. The nature of the work which the establishment carries on.
3. The number of workers employed by the establishment, their professions and nationalities.
4. The name of the authorized manager of the establishment.

Article 8 –Period of Employment Calculation in Qatar Labour Law
 The periods and dates indicated in this law shall be calculated according to the Gregorian Calendar. A calendar year means 365 days and a calendar month means 30 days.
Article 9 –Employment Contracts and other documents Language
All contracts and other documents and written instruments provided for in this law shall be made in Arabic. The employer may accompany such contracts, documents or written instruments with translations into other languages and in case of any difference the Arabic text shall prevail.
Article 10 –Lawsuit or complaint Filing by Workers in Qatar Labour Court
 All lawsuits filed by the workers or their heirs claiming the entitlements accruing under the provisions of this law or the service contract shall be dealt with urgency and shall be exempted from judicial fees. Subject to the provisions of Article 113 of this law, the right to file a lawsuit for a claim of the entitlements accruing under the provisions of this law or the service contract shall lapse by the expiry of one year from the date of expiry of the contract.