We commend the action of some States in recognizing the need to ensure the
protection of migrant workers during this time of crisis:
- The mobile court of Abu Dhabi has recently delivered 261 million Dirhams worth of
unpaid wages to the doorstep of 26,000 workers in Abu Dhabi for grievances filed from
January to June of 2020.
- The government of Singapore has set up a multi-ministry task force which includes
the Manpower Ministry (MOM), to assure that in situations where migrant workers
are not being paid their salaries, the Singaporean government must be alerted and
informed so that they can approach employers to take up the matter as part of its
commitment to ensure that employers exercise their due diligence in paying their
workers.
- The Philippines has extended legal advice and assistance related to salary claims for
displaced Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) in countries of destination whose
contracts were terminated due to the pandemic;
- In response to Public Interest litigation (PIL), the Honorable High Court of Kerala drew
attention to all national mechanisms that could address the issue of wage theft and
called for their full utilization.
- Qatar has announced pioneering labour reforms including a minimum wage which
when implemented will go a long way in ensuring the progress toward a decent work
agenda. Qatar has also introduced a number of improvements to its Wage Protection
System making it better at detecting additional violations such as wage deductions and
contract violations as well as taking action against companies and employers violating
the law.
- In Kuwait, the Public Authority of Manpower activated its website to register through
an online portal complaints related to wage theft, passport confiscation and other
labor matters of migrant workers and book appointments to follow-up with the
assigned department.
- In July 2020, following an inquiry into wage theft in Queensland, Australia, the
Queensland government introduced the Criminal Code and Other Legislation (Wage
Theft) Amendment Bill 2020 (Bill) to combat wage theft.