In the name of God the Merciful and Compassionate
Labour Act 1997
According to the Constitution Decree No. 3- 1995 the National Council has passed and the President of the
Republic has ratified the following Act: -
Part I: Preliminary Provisions
1. Title
This Act may be cited as “ Labour Act 1997’’ and shall take effect as from the date of its signature.
2. Repeal and saving
(1) The following Acts shall be repealed :
(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
The Manpower Act 1974.
The Industrial Relations Act 1976.
The Industrial Safety Act 1976.
The Individual Labour Relations Act 1981.
(2) Provided that all rules and regulations made thereunder shall be deemed valid as if incurred or made under
the provisions of this Act until they are repealed or amended under this Act.
3. Exemption
The following categories of persons shall be exempted from the applications of this Act: (a) The Members of the Judiciary;
(b) The Counsels of the Ministry of Justice;
(c) Persons of Disciplinary Forces ;
(d) Persons of National Security Organ;
(e) Persons employed in the federal and states governments and public corporations whose conditions of
employment are governed by special laws save the rules concerning the industrial relation and industrial safety ;
(f) Domestic servants according to the definition specified in the Domestic Servants Act 1955;
(g) Agricultural worker, other than persons employed in the operations, repair or maintenance of mechanical
appliances and devices, and other than persons employed in factories, ginneries, dairies and similar
establishments in which agricultural products are processed or adopted for marketing and other than persons
employed in the administration of agricultural undertakings or doing clerical accounts work, stores, gardens,
and poultry;
(h) members of the employer’s family residing with him and wholly dependent upon him;
(i) casual workers;
(j) Any class of persons, the Ministry Council may declare by an order that they are exempted totally or
partially from the provisions of this Act.
4. Interpretation
In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires: “ Wage ” means the aggregate of the basic pay, and all other remuneration payable to the worker by an employer
and includes the value of any food, fuel or residence and any over time, payments or other remuneration for any
work done, and any other bonus; provided that it shall not include any ex-gratia payments, or gift or travelling
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