Blog
Ministry of Labor Takes Major Step Towards Abolishing Kafala In Lebanon
FINALLY!
Just moments ago, caretaker minister of labor Lamia Yammine announced that she has issued the unified labor contract in a major step towards abolishing modern-day slavery in Lebanon, also known as the kafala or sponsorship system.
This labor law ensures basic employee rights for foreign migrant workers, whom have long been a target of systematic discrimination in Lebanon.
The law stipulates that the migrant workers (employees) are subject to Lebanese labor laws and Lebanese minimum wage, along with annual leave and benefits. Protections offered are standard working hours (48 hour weeks), sick leave, and other common labor law practices.
Two major changes noted in the unified labor contract include the employee’s right to keep their passport and work permits in their possession, and the employer’s duty to set up adequate boarding (an acceptable bedroom and not just a mattress on the ground).
This comes after years of subjecting migrant workers to indescribable suffering, including physically and verbally abusing them, taking away their passports and official papers, not paying them their dues, keeping them locked in the house on continuous working hours, and in many cases, murdering them and ruling it as suicide.
In the recent economic crisis, migrant workers were among the vulnerable groups who felt the blow, as employers were no longer able to pay their salaries in dollar bills, and thus resorted to throwing them out on the streets, leaving them stranded with no food, water, passport, or money.
We hope this new labor contract set in place by the minister is the change we need for a more just society.
Just moments ago, caretaker minister of labor Lamia Yammine announced that she has issued the unified labor contract in a major step towards abolishing modern-day slavery in Lebanon, also known as the kafala or sponsorship system.
. #Kafala @iloarabstateshttps://t.co/q2AQmfOIvo
— Lamia Yammine Douaihy (@lamiayammine) September 4, 2020
This labor law ensures basic employee rights for foreign migrant workers, whom have long been a target of systematic discrimination in Lebanon.
The law stipulates that the migrant workers (employees) are subject to Lebanese labor laws and Lebanese minimum wage, along with annual leave and benefits. Protections offered are standard working hours (48 hour weeks), sick leave, and other common labor law practices.
Two major changes noted in the unified labor contract include the employee’s right to keep their passport and work permits in their possession, and the employer’s duty to set up adequate boarding (an acceptable bedroom and not just a mattress on the ground).
This comes after years of subjecting migrant workers to indescribable suffering, including physically and verbally abusing them, taking away their passports and official papers, not paying them their dues, keeping them locked in the house on continuous working hours, and in many cases, murdering them and ruling it as suicide.
In the recent economic crisis, migrant workers were among the vulnerable groups who felt the blow, as employers were no longer able to pay their salaries in dollar bills, and thus resorted to throwing them out on the streets, leaving them stranded with no food, water, passport, or money.
We hope this new labor contract set in place by the minister is the change we need for a more just society.
