Qatar Labour Laws Every Working Mother Should Know

As an employee, it’s extremely important to know your rights. In Qatar, the government has set very specific laws for both employers and employees. These laws help ensure that employees are treated fairly.

When it comes to female employees, there are designated clauses in the labour law that outline their rights. Equality is something that’s addressed, as the labour law states that women should receive equal pay to men if they perform the same work and they should be entitled to the same training and promotions.

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Here’s what expecting and new mothers should know…

Maternity leave

If a female worker has been employed for a full year, she will be entitled to maternity leave of 50 days with full pay. This maternity leave can include the time before delivery as long as the time after delivery is not less than 35 days.

If there is less than 30 days of leave left after delivery, the female worker can combine her annual leave to it. If she doesn’t have annual leave left, then it would be a complementary period of leave without pay.

If the female employee has a medical condition that prevents her from returning to work once her maternity leave period is over, she’s entitled to leave without pay for a maximum of 60 consecutive or interrupted days.

Nursing mothers

During the year after delivery, a female employee is entitled to a nursing break of not less than one hour per day. The employee is also the one who decides the nursing times.

The nursing breaks are calculated as part of the working hours. Therefore, an employer cannot deduct it from the salary.

SEE ALSO: All about the Qatar labour law

Termination

An employer is not allowed to terminate a female employee only because she has gotten married or for taking maternity leave.