Many expats prefer working in Bahrain over other countries. In fact, according to a survey by Expat Insider last year, the Kingdom is the “most popular destination in the world for expats.” What’s more, 9 out of 10 expats shared that they are happy living in Bahrain.
Today, a huge number of expats, including Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs), are currently living in Bahrain. If you have just arrived in the country, or if you are thinking about coming here — then you should start reading about labour contracts and other work-related matters.
Working Hours & Rest Periods in Bahrain
In this article, we will discuss the official working hours and rest periods in the Kingdom. Here is what the Bahrain Labour Law has to say about these:
Working Hours
- Regular working hours are 8 hours/day, 48 hours/week. During Ramadan, Muslim workers should not be employed for more than 6 hours/day or 36 hours/week (Article 51).
- Working hours may be extended for more than 8 hours/day, but should not exceed 10 hours/day (Article 53).
- Workers may be employed for additional hours, if required by work circumstances. For each additional hour rendered during the day, the worker is entitled to his hourly wage plus 25% of the said rate. Meanwhile for each additional hour rendered during the night, the worker should receive his hourly wage plus 50% of the said rate (Article 54).
Prayers, Meals, & Rest Periods
- Workers should not be employed for more than 6 consecutive hours. There should be one or more intervals for prayers, meals, or rest periods. These periods should be not less than 30 minutes, and are not calculated as part of the working hours (Article 52).
- Workers should not be present in the workplace fore more than 11 hours/day, including working hours and rest periods (Article 53).
- Friday is considered as the weekly day of rest. Employers may replace this with any other day of the week for some workers (Article 57).
- Workers may be asked to work during a rest day, if required by work circumstances. In this case, the worker may choose between receiving an additional wage equal to 150% of his regular rate or another day for rest (Article 57).
Other Provisions
- Night shift workers as well as workers under the “occupational confinement system” are entitled to compensation based on the nature of their jobs (Article 50).
- The Ministry of Labour may issue decisions on the working hours and rest periods for certain categories of workers or industries, e.g. those requiring continuous work due to technical reasons or nature of work (Articles 51 & 52).
- Employers should post the working hours, rest periods, and rest days for all worker categories. These should be displayed on a prominent location in the workplace (Article 55).
DISCLAIMER: The topics presented in this article are for information-sharing purposes only. To learn more about the Bahrain Labour Law, please visit the official website of the Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA).