Ministerial decision regulates remote work in Oman

Muscat: The Ministry of Labour has issued a new ministerial decision regulating remote work. The decision comes as part of the Ministry’s efforts to keep pace with digital transformation and to develop the work environment in a way that balances production requirements with workers’ rights.

Pursuant to the Labour Law promulgated by Royal Decree No. 53/2023, the decision stipulates that remote work may be either full-time or part-time, whereby workers perform their duties using information and communication technology from outside the establishment’s premises within Oman. It also prohibits contracting with any worker from outside the Sultanate to perform remote work.

Employers implementing the remote work system are required to provide the necessary technical and communication tools, enable workers to perform their duties, establish an electronic system to supervise and evaluate performance, and respect workers’ privacy by prohibiting the use of personal data for non-work purposes.

In return, workers working remotely must personally perform their duties during the agreed working hours, maintain confidentiality of information and systems, and report any issues that may affect performance.

They are also entitled to disconnect from the employer’s systems if tools or practices infringe on their privacy.

A full-time remote work contract must be in writing and include key terms such as the type of work, remuneration, working hours, methods of supervision and evaluation, along with commitments related to occupational safety and information security.

The decision also grants employers the right to require part-time remote workers to return to the office in cases of serious breaches of instructions or threats to information security.

The Ministry confirmed that workers working remotely are entitled to all rights and obligations stipulated in the Labour Law and related regulations.

This regulation seeks to enhance flexibility in the labour market, support digital transformation, and improve efficiency and productivity while safeguarding the rights of both employers and workers.