This guideline is based on the UN Sustainable Development Goals and prescribes a number of actions under different headings that postal companies can adopt to reduce their carbon emissions. For example, under the heading Vehicles and Means of Transport, it is suggested that postal companies should ensure that an annual percentage is set for converting their delivery vehicles to modern and environmentally friendly vehicles.

Even though this guideline is not legally binding, it is highly recommended that postal companies consider them, especially as the guideline states that the TRA will issue—in cooperation with other government entities—directives with implementation targets and timelines.

You can read this guideline in full in English on the link below:

According to the new regulation, a person wishing to establish a day care centre for the elderly must obtain a licence from the MOSD. Applicants for this licence can be natural persons, companies, or civil associations. Applicants are required to provide a bank guarantee of 3,000 Rial Omani when submitting their applications except for civil associations.

The regulation sets the obligations of the licensee to include preparing internal regulations of the day care centre and appointing a Omani person as the manager of the centre.

You can read this regulation in full in English on the link below:

Article 12 of the regulation sets out that a financial guarantee must be provided to the authority when applying for an environmental permit for specific projects. As per the amendment, a financial guarantee of 250,000 Rial Omani must now be provided for oil and gas production projects per site.

Article 21 of the regulation sets out certain obligations of the project owner. As per the amendment, project owners are now required to submit an environmental audit study for specific projects. These projects include oil refineries, heavy industries, and oil and gas production, among others.

You can read this amendment in full in English on the link below:

You can also read the consolidated version of the Regulation Governing Environmental Permits on the link below:

This week’s issue of the Official Gazette included a decision by SPF on this matter, and it stipulates that the maternity leave insurance branch applies compulsorily to non-Omanis working in the government as well as those working in private sector establishments to whom the Labour Law applies.

You can read the text in full in English at the link below: 

The newly issued decision provides a more realistic and specific approach to the ban of plastic bags by setting the thickness of banned single-use plastic shopping bags to be less than 50 micrometres. The decision also introduces a time plan for limiting the use of plastic shopping bags across different commercial activities after which the single-use of plastic shopping bags is formally banned. The implementation of this time plan commences on 1 July 2024 for activities such as pharmacies, clinics, and hospitals. The plan aims to achieve an environmentally friendly shopping experience that is free of plastic bags by 1 July 2025.

An administrative fine between 50 Rial Omani and 1,000 Rial Omani will be imposed against those who violate the new decision.

You can read the decision in full in English on the link below:

Written by:

Aram Al-Bahri

Aram Al-Bahri is a Legal Associate at Decree. She holds an LLB Law Degree from the University of Leeds. She works in the area of labour and corporate law and has expertise in the field of policymaking.

First of all, the executive regulation did not provide any exemptions for the requirement to identify a personal data protection officer. This means that all organisations, irrespective of size, industry, the type of data they process, the amount of data they process, or the number of data subjects they interact with, are required to identify a personal data protection officer as long as the law applies to them.

The executive regulation used the same language used by the law, which is the requirement to “identify” a personal data protection officer, and not “appoint”, which we understand to mean that the position of the “personal data protection officer” does not have to be a standalone full-time job, but it can be a role assigned to an existing employee who might or might not be carrying out similar functions (for example, compliance in general) as long as the employee meets the requirements stipulated by executive regulation.

Article 34 of the executive regulation stipulates the requirements for the personal data protection officer, which are that he is qualified to carry out the tasks stipulated in the regulation, that he is familiar with the law and the personal data protection practices of the controller, and that he is of professional competence. There are no requirements for any specific certification or academic or professional past experience.

The actual duties of the personal data protection officer are stipulated in article 35 of the executive regulation, which can be summarised as being responsible for giving advice to the controller, monitoring the implementation of data protection policies, monitoring the implementation of the law and the regulation, and coordinating with the Ministry of Transport, Communications, and Information Technology in matters relating to the processing of personal data.

The controller is required to publish the name and contact details of the personal data protection officer to enable data subjects to contact him.

You can read the Personal Data Protection Law as well as its newly issued executive regulations in full in English on the links below:

Written by:

Aram Al-Bahri

Aram Al-Bahri is a Legal Associate at Decree. She holds an LLB Law Degree from the University of Leeds. She works in the area of labour and corporate law and has expertise in the field of policymaking.

Employers Must Pay Employee Allowances During Sick, Extraordinary, Maternity, and Paternity Leave

The Social Protection Law guarantees a number of new allowances for employees. For example, article 129 of the Social Protection Law states that female employees are entitled to a maternity leave allowance for 98 days. Article 94 of the executive regulation now makes it clear that it is the employer who would pay the employee such allowances, and the fund will reimburse the employer afterwards. However, the regulation does not provide details regarding the mechanism or the deadlines for receiving such refunds from the Social Protection Fund.

Employers Must Pay Employee Contributions During Sick, Extraordinary, Maternity, and Paternity Leave

The Social Protection Law provides that the contributions of employers and employees continue to be due to the fund during the special leaves provided by the law, and that such contributions will be covered by each social insurance branch. Article 31 of the executive regulation has clarified that this means that it is the duty of the employer to continue to pay both its contributions and the contributions of its employees to the fund, and that the fund will refund or settle such contributions afterwards. Similar to the case of allowances, the regulation does not provide details regarding the mechanism or the deadlines for receiving such refunds from the Social Protection Fund.

Employers Must Register Their Employees Within a Maximum of 30 Days

Article 21 of the executive regulation imposes an obligation on the employer to register all its employees in the branches of social insurance and end their registration upon the end of their service within 30 days of the date of joining or the date of termination. The regulation also provides that the employer has a duty to provide evidence of the registration to the employee.

Employers Must Keep a Register for Each Employee

Article 8 of the executive regulation requires employers to keep a register for each employee that contains details relating to decisions issued by the employer towards the employee, wage changes, attendance reports, and other information specified by the regulation. The executive regulation also requires the employer to inform the fund about any changes in the employee’s status that would affect the value of his financial entitlements within a period not less than 14 days.

Employers Must Register Non-Omanis in the Savings System

Article 97 of the executive regulation requires the employer to register non-Omani employees in the savings system within a maximum of 30 days of their employment. It is worth noting that the savings system has not entered into force until now, and a decision must be issued by the Board of Directors of the Social Protection Fund to determine the date on which it will be effective. This date will not exceed July 2026.

Conclusion

The Executive Regulation of the Social Protection Law and the law itself, are extremely important documents that all employers and employees must be familiar with. You can read the executive regulation in full in English on the link below.

Written by:

Aram Al-Bahri

Aram Al-Bahri is a Legal Associate at Decree. She holds an LLB Law Degree from the University of Leeds. She works in the area of labour and corporate law and has expertise in the field of policymaking.