Muscat — Oman’s labour minister said companies cannot terminate the services of Omani employees without prior review and approval, responding to concerns raised in the Consultative Council over recent layoffs in the telecommunications sector.

Speaking during a session of the Majlis Ash-Shura on Jan. 7, Labour Minister His Excellency Prof. Mahad bin Saeed Baawain said no company is permitted to dismiss an Omani citizen without first submitting a request for assessment by the Ministry of Labour.

The comments came after council member Hussain Al Lawati questioned the dismissal of Omani employees at one telecom company in recent months, warning that other firms were closely watching how the case would be handled. He cited reports that access systems, including biometric entry, had been disabled for some employees on the day of their termination.

In response, Baawain said any company that proceeds with layoffs without notifying the ministry of its economic conditions would be held legally accountable.

“If the employee accepts the options offered by the company, the ministry does not intervene,” the minister said, adding that the government’s role is to ensure legal compliance and fairness in employment practices.

Baawain said the ministry was working on a proactive regulatory framework to manage labour market challenges and stressed the need for cooperation from all stakeholders.