Benefits entitled to OFWs in Kuwait

One of the major benefits that overseas Filipino workers or OFWs in Kuwait enjoy is the fact that there is no tax being collected by the government for personal income.

OFWs in Kuwait will receive different compensation and benefit packages depending on whether they work for the public or private sector, their contracts, number of employees their company has, work experience, type of job, duration of contract, competition in the job market, and the nationality.

But OFWs in Kuwait working in the private sector are covered by the labour law enforced by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labour (MSAL). However, this does not include OFWs working as domestic helpers, workers on temporary contractors, and those working in less than six months.

The following benefits are entitled to OFWs working in Kuwait:

· OFWs should be provided by the employer their accommodation or offer rent allowance, and transportation to and from work.

· OFWs should have one whole day off per week, usually on Fridays. But this is not a legal requirement though. For the whole year, there are eight holidays to be enjoyed, receiving full payment. These holidays include:

1.    Hijri New Year’s Day

2.    Ascension Day

3.    Eid Al Fitr (two days)

4.    Eid Al Adha (two days)

5.    Prophet Mohammed’s Birthday

6.    National Day

· OFWs with five years of continuous service is allowed to take 14 days leave a year if he had completed one year of service to his employer. If the OFW worked for more than 5 years, he should have 21 days leave. Official holidays and sick leave is not counted as part of annual leave.

· OFWs, subject to a medical report, are entitled to sick leaves in one year. The details will be as: the first six days of illness the employee is given full pay, the next six days will be ¾ pay, the next six days on ½ pay, the next six days on ¼ pay and the next six days without pay.

· OFWs required working overtime if necessary and with written order from the employer, should be paid accordingly. Overtime pay should be 1.25 times the basic hourly rate for excess hours worked on ordinary days, 1.50 times the basic hourly rate for all hours worked on the weekly day off and twice the basic hourly rate for all hours worked on public holidays.

· OFWs should be given end-of-service benefits. OFWs who worked for less than five years are entitled to termination payment equivalent to 15 days compensation for every year completed.

· OFWs injured at work, to and from work, should be treated at the employer’s expense.  During treatment, the injured OFW is entitled to full pay for the first six months, and half pay thereafter until he recovers or is proved to be permanently disabled.

· OFWs return airfare should be shouldered by the employer, provided that the contract is finished with no violations.