Saturday 06 / December / 2025
Oman’s Labour Law sets clear legal boundaries on how and when an employer may impose disciplinary penalties on a worker, ensuring that any punitive action follows a fair and documented process.
Speaking to the Times of Oman, Dr. Mohammed Ibrahim Al Zadjali, Founding Partner of Mohammed Ibrahim Law Firm, explained that “an employer shall not impose any penalty unless the worker is first notified in writing of the alleged violation, given an opportunity to present their defence, and have their statements recorded in an investigation report. Disciplinary action cannot proceed without these steps.”
He added that, “the law also imposes strict timeframes to ensure timely and fair resolution. Under the provisions of the labour law, an employer cannot hold a worker accountable for a violation discovered more than 30 days earlier. Furthermore, a disciplinary penalty cannot be applied more than 60 days after the violation has been proven. These limits prevent employers from using old or stale incidents to penalize employees.”
Additionally, “the law places clear caps on the severity of penalties. For any single violation, a fine may not exceed the wage of five days in one month, and a disciplinary suspension without pay may not exceed five days in one month. These limits ensure that disciplinary measures remain proportionate and are not applied in an unduly harsh manner, he said.”
Regarding investigative procedures, he stated that “the law sets clear requirements for conducting workplace investigations. The employer may conduct the investigation directly or delegate it to another employee, provided that the investigating employee’s job level is not lower than that of the worker being investigated. For serious violations, the investigation may be entrusted to an external specialist. The worker under investigation has the right to review all documents and obtain copies, ensuring transparency and enabling the worker to prepare an adequate defence.”
He concluded by stating that “the Labour Law establishes a structured framework for workplace discipline, requiring proper notice, thorough investigation, timely action, and proportionate penalties, thereby safeguarding employees from arbitrary or unfair disciplinary measures.”
(Mohammed Ibrahim Law Firm ([email protected]), (+968 244 87 600) was established 18 years ago and is serving clients through its offices in Muscat and Sohar, as well as operating on a request basis in other areas. It offers legal representation across a wide range of practice areas that include Labour Law, Corporate, Commercial, Contracts, Banking and Finance, International Trade, Foreign Investment, Insurance, Maritime Law, Construction and Engineering Contracts, International Arbitration, Intellectual Property and more).
