The Ministry of Transport, Communications, and Information Technology (MTCIT) recently announced a public consultation regarding a draft National Artificial Intelligence Policy. This draft policy suggests that the MTCIT does not wish to impose any serious restrictions on the ability to use AI systems in Oman as the policy will not be a legally binding document and will not impose any concrete obligations on the providers or deployers of AI systems in Oman. This is a reasonable approach for the MTCIT to take as the technology of AI is still developing and imposing unreasonable restrictions at this stage might deprive Omani society of the ability to experiment with and explore the possibilities offered by AI.
The Ministry of Labour published in this week’s Official Gazette Decision 451/2024 Determining the Rules for Settlement and Abandonment of the Lawsuit for Crimes Punishable under the Labour Law, which repeals Decision 561/2009 and creates a new framework for settling violations of the Labour Law.
Under the 2009 decision, it was required to pay half the maximum fine prescribed for a violation in order for it to be settled. The new decision reduces this amount by requiring the payment of a quarter of the maximum fine for the crime only. The old decision also had a restriction where it was not allowed to settle a violation that involved more than 10 workers or if the same violation is reported more than twice, however, the new decision removes this requirement and introduces a new requirement to pay a 1,000 Rial Omani fine in regard to violations involving multiple employees pursuant to article 143(1) of the Labour Law.
The new decision also provides a more comprehensive framework for submitting applications for settlement and provides additional details for the cases in which a non-Omani worker has to be deported.
You can read this ministerial decision in full in English on the link below:
The Ministry of Labour published in this week’s Official Gazette Decision 450/2024, repealing Decision 90/2013 and issuing a new framework for dealing with private sector establishments that violate the Labour Law. The decision of 2013 provided a very simple set of provisions for dealing with violations, whereas the new decision provides a more comprehensive framework.
The new decision clarifies the process for policing violations and stipulates that reports can only be issued by employees with judicial enforcement status. It also clarifies that employees must have an identity card stating their identity, which they are required to disclose if asked.
The main provision of the 2013 and 2024 decisions is the MOL’s power to suspend the services of companies that violate Labour Law. The 2024 decision changes these services by removing old provisions and adding new ones, and they include services such as issuing work permits to non-Omanis and transferring the services of the violating workers.
You can read the full decision in English on the link below:
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Introducing: Risk Watchlist
Decree Risk has become a valuable resource for organisations dealing with large numbers of small and medium Omani enterprises, such as utility companies and banks, who need to submit liquidation claims for unpaid bills and or make an objection to the government to block a legal transformation when any of these small and medium enterprises enter into liquidation or attempt to undergo a legal transformation.
Today, we are taking Decree Risk to the next level by announcing Risk Watchlist—a tool that allows organisations to monitor future risk incidents by adding the CR number of a target company on the Risk Watchlist to receive immediate alerts when any of these target companies appear in a risk announcement.
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Decree Monthly Digest – July 2024
Decree Monthly Digest is a summary of the most significant updates on Decree in the previous month.
Under the Commercial Companies Law, the liquidation of a company can be triggered by a number of cases stipulated in article 40 of the law. This blog post will highlight the steps required under the Commercial Companies Law to commence and complete the liquidation of a company.
We are delighted to announce that Decree now offers translation attestation services for Decree content through Fal Translate. Fal Translate is a boutique legal translation office registered in the Sultanate of Oman with a wealth of experience in legal translation.
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Why Do Companies Liquidate?
Liquidation is a process by which a company ends its life and distributes its assets to those it owes money to in an orderly manner. Legal procedures must be taken when a company goes into liquidation, starting with the reason for liquidation. In this blog, we will explore the grounds for liquidating a company as stipulated under article 40 of the Commercial Companies Law.
The Environment Authority published in this week’s Official Gazzete Decision 150/2024 Issuing the Regulation Governing the Possession of Domesticated Wild Animals.
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Intel Update: July 2024
Decree Intel is a database of original Omani legal research material that provides explanatory notes, overviews of government entities, and summaries of Supreme Court cases and MJLA Fatwas.