Payroll & Wage Protection System (WPS)
The government of Qatar takes great care to protect the interests not just of business owners but also of employees no matter where they are from. There are numerous payroll and wage protection system in place to make sure that both the business environment and the working environment in Qatar are healthy, thriving, and safe.
As such, Afreno has dutifully developed a fully integrated in-house payroll and WPS salary processing system just for you. In order to help process the salaries of your employees, our in house payroll and WPS salary process system has been designed with only your best interests at heart, all in accordance with the directives of Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs. Via a comprehensive electronic system for payments, the payment of wages to workers is carefully monitored and is dutifully documented by the Ministry and the Qatar Central Bank. These rules are regulated by the 2004 Labour Law No. 14.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is there a need for a wage protection system?
This payroll and wage protection system is put in place in order to ensure a competitive and safe environment for all workers and to keep employers from abusing any of the workers’ rights.
What are some of the benefits of the WPS?
These payroll and wage protection system ensure that employers are in compliance with Labour Law Regulations. They help employees to get paid on time and accordingly.
Why should employers comply with these labour laws?
Via the system, employers are able to commit themselves in a more systematic way when processing salaries and the like. Failure to comply results in consequences both financially and non-financially.
How foolproof is the WPS?
This system is put in place in order to monitor payments made to employees of over 50,000 companies in the State. The Ministry has a Department of Wage Protection to monitor accordingly.
Why was the WPS put in place?
Before the WPS was implemented, the Labor Department fielded a vast number of complaints from employees whose salaries were being delayed or not being paid in full. The government then took action and encouraged a safe work environment via the WPS.
How can an employee be protected via documentation?
Nobody should work in Qatar without a properly documented written contract. Verbal assurances are not binding in the country, so the documented employment contract, for instance, must be duly attested for full authentication.
What should workers pay attention to when it comes to employment contracts?
Make sure that the contract contains the name of the employer, the workplace, the date of conclusion of contract, the date of start of work, the duration of the contract, the method of payment, the nature and type of work, and the agreed wages. Terms and conditions of termination must also be included.
How regulated is the WPS?
The payment of wages to workers is both monitored and documented by the Ministry and the Qatar Central Bank as regulated by the 2004 Labour Law No. 14.
What happens when there is a labour dispute?
The Arabic contract will be consulted in case of disputes. The employee can file a complaint within a year of the incident to the Labour Ministry.
What happens if a company does not comply?
The Ministry can suspend various services to the company such as work permits and the like, and the employer will lose the support of the government and can be blacklisted.
01
Documentation
Just as all of the employers in Qatar are required to submit complete documentation when it comes to processing salaries and proper wages, employees must also dutifully do their part in making sure that all documentation is accurate and complete. For instance, the Employment Contract must be properly signed, kept, and attested. The Qatar Labour Law governs all employee-employer relationships, and as such, the law states that employee contracts must be in the official Arabic language. It should be in writing and with clear definitions of all end-of-service benefits, as well as the limitations on working hours, appropriate salaries, and the like.
With Afreno’s fully reliable and meticulously designed in-house payroll and wage protection system, we can help you generate, draft, and process all kinds of documentation when it comes to the contracts and agreements with various employees, as well as the complete and accurate translations that are needed in all of the paperwork.
02
Electronic Wage Transfer
Afreno also has full corporate support services for employees via an electronic salary transfer system. With the Wage Protection System (WPS) firmly in place in Qatar, employees can rest assured that they will receive their salaries promptly and correctly via an electronic salary transfer system. This electronic wage transfer lets the respective companies and institutions pay their employees through registered banks. These banks must first be properly approved and duly authorized to provide the aforementioned service.
Developed by the Qatar Central Bank, this service also allows the Ministry of Administrative Development, Labor and Social Affairs (MADLSA) to keep a record and an accurate database that tracks wage payments and checks them thoroughly in the private sector. This helps guarantee that payments are made on time and in full. All institutions and companies registered with the Ministry must utilize the payroll and wage protection system is electronic wage transfer across all sectors and industries.
03
Regulated
The fully integrated in-house payroll and wage protection system of Afreno helps process the salaries of your employees, in accordance with the directives of Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs. Everything must be fully regulated, and the payment of wages to workers is both monitored and documented by the Ministry and the Qatar Central Bank as regulated by the 2004 Labour Law No. 14.
Furthermore, in the case of workplace disputes, for example, a new Labour Disputes Settlement Committee has been established. Law No.13 of 2017 implements a regulatory framework that helps streamline employment disputes in Qatar to make sure that all labour disputes are properly heard. These laws are all duly regulated by the government to help maintain order when it comes to salaries and labour issues in the private sector. Not only does it ensure that no employer steps out of line regarding fair treatment of workers, it also guarantees a healthy work environment for everyone.
04
Compliance
All employers must dutifully comply with the labour laws in Qatar. For example, a single work week is equivalent to six business days as per the Qatar Labour Law, and the day must not exceed 8 hours. At least one day of rest every week is required, and this usually falls on a Friday. There is no minimum wage in payroll and wage protection system, but compensation must be clearly stated in the contract and the company must fully comply with that.
If a certain employer does not comply with the labour laws, an employee can make a claim with the Labour Court. The employer is required to transfer payments within seven days of the due date via the WPS. If the employer does not comply, the Minister can suspend issuance of new work permits to the employer. The government can also blacklist those companies, and as such, they will lose the support of the government altogether.
05
Monthly Payroll Invoicing
Employees can also enjoy a monthly payroll invoicing in order to keep an accurate record of all of the payments made according to the salaries agreed upon in the employment contract. Companies must comply with the WPS a hundred percent, lest they lose the support of the Ministry and lose their crucial requirements like work permits, visa changes, and other essential operational services. Once an employer submits valid proof that the unpaid salaries have already been dutifully transferred and received by the employee, then the Ministry can remove the suspension.
It is also important for workers to know their rights and to fight for them. For example, a salary delay can mean that an employee can change jobs, and if there is any issue, the employee can submit a labour complaint to the Work Relations Department of the Ministry of Administrative Development, Labor and Social Affairs (MADLSA). Afreno can help assist both employers and employees with whatever wage concerns that may arise.