* Ministerial decision determines worker camps within family residential
* It excludes female workers, regardless of the nature of their work, as well as domestic workers and drivers
* Penalties include imprisonment of up to six months and fine ranging from QR50,000-100,000, or any of the two
Housing more than five workers in one place located within a family residential area is a violation of the law, according to a ministerial decision announced on Wednesday.
Those not complying with the law will be penalised with imprisonment of up to six months and a fine ranging from QR50,000 to 100,000, or any of the two.
HE the Minister of Municipality and Environment Abdullah bin Abdulaziz bin Turki al-Subaie issued Ministerial Decision No 105 of 2020 defining family residential areas and what is considered workers' camps within those areas, in addition to determining those exempted from this decision, the official Qatar News Agency reported on Wednesday based on a statement by the Ministry of Municipality and Environment (MME).
The decision comes in implementation of the provisions of Law No 15 of 2010 on the prohibition of workers' camps within family residential areas, amended by Law No 22 of 2019.
Decision No 105 of 2020 excludes female workers, regardless of the nature of their work, as well as domestic workers in houses and similar categories, such as maids and drivers.
The ministerial decision defines worker camps within family residential areas, stipulating that "housing more than five workers in one of the places within family residential areas" is a violation of the provisions of the law, and that the legal procedures stipulated in the law will be applied. A warning shall be sent to the violator, be it the tenant, the property owner or both, in addition to issuing a report of the violation and eventually ordering the evacuation of the building, the MME statement notes.
In case of non-compliance, the forced evacuation of the violating building will be carried out along with the disconnection of electricity and water supply.
The penalties stipulated in the law are a jail sentence of up to six months and a fine of a minimum QR50,000 and maximum QR100,000, or any of the two.
The law authorises HE the Minister of Municipality and Environment or his representative to reconcile with the violator, on the condition of paying half the maximum stipulated fine and vacating the violating building.
The ministerial decision comes within the framework of the MME's efforts to preserve the health of workers and limit the number of workers in one accommodation, which must be not more than five, in addition to limiting the phenomenon of unregulated housing that does not meet the specifications of suitable workers' housing, the statement adds.
Accordingly, the MME has urged all parties concerned to abide by the decision and vacate accommodations with workers in excess of what is allowed in order to avoid legal accountability.
