A committee will be set up to resolve labour-related disputes in the country, in line with amendments to Law No 14 of 2004 and as part of the government’s efforts to ensure workers’ rights and simplify judicial procedures in such cases.

The Cabinet approved the amendments at its regular weekly meeting in Doha on Wednesday, the official Qatar News Agency (QNA) reported.
Provisions of the new law include the establishment of a committee - or more - at the Ministry of Administrative Development, Labour and Social Affairs, which will be charged with settling labour-related disputes. The committee will be responsible for settling all disputes related to the provisions of the Labour Law or a work contract within a maximum of three weeks. The labour authorities concerned may refer unresolved disputes to this committee for settlement.
The committee will be chaired by a judge from the Court of First Instance, who is to be chosen by the Supreme Judiciary Council (SJC). HE the Minister of Administrative Development, Labour and Social Affairs will nominate two ministry officials as members of the committee. They should have experience in accounting.
There is also a provision for an appeals committee for labour-related disputes, where pleas against any decision of the first committee may be filed by the parties involved. The appeals committee will have a judge from the Court of Appeal as its chair, to be chosen by the SJC. Besides, HE the Minister of Administrative Development, Labour and Social Affairs will nominate two officials from the ministry as its members.
Those seeking an appeal, according to the new draft, must do so within 15 days of the verdict of the first committee. This will apply if a party involved in a dispute is present to hear the verdict. If not, they must appeal within 15 days from the time they are notified about the verdict. Only the committee can halt the implementation of one of its verdicts.
HE the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs Ahmed bin Abdullah al-Mahmoud, who chaired the regular Cabinet meeting at the Emiri Diwan yesterday, said the Cabinet welcomed the resolution issued by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco), under which it “fully approved that the Al-Aqsa Mosque (Al-Haram Al-Sharif) is one of the exclusive Islamic holy sites and classified it as an exclusive Islamic heritage, and said the Buraq Wall (Western Wall) is an integral part of the Al-Aqsa Mosque”, QNA reported.
The Cabinet expressed hope that the Unesco resolution would provide new impetus to the international community to “halt Israel’s repeated violations of the Al-Aqsa Mosque and its continued attempts to Judaise Jerusalem”.
Further, the Cabinet renewed Qatar’s firm stance on the matter and support to the legitimate Palestinian rights, particularly the right to establish their independent state with Jerusalem as its capital.