Oman employees can't be sacked for poor performance without 6 months to improve: Workers' federation

Employers in Oman are no longer permitted to dismiss workers solely on the grounds of poor performance, the General Federation of Oman Workers (GFOW) has clarified. The move aims to strengthen job security and prevent arbitrary contract terminations across the country.

According to the federation, an employer cannot unilaterally end a contract based only on a claim of poor performance. Instead, they must issue a formal, written notice explicitly outlining the areas of inefficiency. The labour regulations further dictate that the employee must be given a minimum of six months to meet the expected performance standards.

Additionally, the GFOW noted that the law requires employers to inform the Ministry of Labour three months prior to terminating any contract due to performance issues.

Protecting employee rights
The federation has urged employees who receive vague warnings without detailed evaluations, or those who are not given sufficient time to improve, to demand written clarity from their employers. Workers are advised to document all performance-related correspondence carefully and make the most of the allotted improvement window.

Filing a complaint
In cases where an employee is dismissed without the proper legal procedures being followed, they have the right to lodge an official complaint. The GFOW confirmed that the worker can file a dispute with the relevant authority within 30 days of receiving the termination notice.