His Highness the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani has recently issued a notice stipulating that Qatari citizens are to be given priority in appointments for government and public jobs.
The new law additionally gives priority to children of Qatari women married to non-Qataris, non-Qatari spouses of Qatari citizens, nationals of other GCC countries, Arab expatriates and other nationalities.
The appointment of non-Qataris would be made through employment contacts.
It may be noted that the provisions of Law No 15 for 2016 on Civil Human Resources is applicable to civilian employees at government ministries and departments and other public sector entities.
The categories exempted from the provisions of the law include judges, assistant judges, members of the Public Prosecution and their assistants, employees of the Emiri Diwan, employees of the diplomatic and consulate corps, university teaching staff, Qatar Petroleum employees, Qatar Investment Authority employees and State Audit Bureau employees, reports Gulf Times.
In this connection, the Qatari Cabinet will issue a notice containing the executive regulations of the law and it will be applicable from the day following its publication in the official gazette.
The Ministry of Administrative Development, Labour and Social Affairs will be preparing a guidebook on the description and classification of public jobs and His excellency the Minister will issue a decision on the same, as per the law.
The government entity will prepare a job structure in accordance with its actual needs, tasks and specialty, that will be applicable when approved by the Minister.
Like the Gulf Times reports, the new employee will have to spend a probationary period of three months, and the period can be extended. If deemed unfit for the jobs, the employee ‘s services will be terminated.
There are other benefits such as a social bonus and allowances for housing, transportation, in addition to special and exceptional bonus, and compensation for overtime. Other allowances include those for telephones, furniture, private vehicles and others.
The law also stipulates that if a single day separates two official holidays, it will be considered a holiday as well. There are 16 types of leave due to government employees, mentioned as per the law, including maternity leave, regular and periodic leaves, sick leave, unpaid leave and others.
It may be mentioned here that the services of a government employee can be terminated for various reasons, including being 60 years old, end of a contract, resignation, not being medically fit, penal dismissal, loss of Qatari citizenship, a decision from His excellency the Prime Minister for the public good and a final verdict against the employee in a crime undermining his integrity or honesty.
The law includes an appendix on salary starting from QR2,300-3,000 a month for the lowest grades and up to QR65,000 a month for top level jobs.
The government has also stressed on its commitment to provide jobs for people with disabilities in accordance with Law No 2 for 2004 in respect of People with Special Needs.
