Kuwait sets start date for midday outdoor work ban

The Ministry of Interior has urged employers and companies across Kuwait to strictly comply with a seasonal ban on outdoor work during peak daytime hours, aimed at protecting workers from extreme summer temperatures.

According to the ministry, the restriction will be in effect from June 1 to August 31, 2026, prohibiting outdoor work between 11:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.

The measure has been introduced in line with a decision by the Public Authority for Manpower to ensure safer working conditions for laborers exposed to the summer heat.

Authorities said the decision also includes a ban on the operation of motorcycles used by delivery companies during the restricted hours across all roads and regions in Kuwait.

The ministry warned that companies and employers violating the regulations will face penalties and legal action for breaching permit conditions. Officials stressed that there will be zero tolerance for non-compliance and called on businesses to fully adhere to the rules.

The government said the measures are part of broader efforts to promote a safe, humane, and sustainable work environment in Kuwait, while safeguarding the health and well-being of workers during the hottest months of the year.

Earlier, the Civil Service Commission (CSC) had notified government agencies that female employees are allowed a 45-minute grace period for morning arrivals, permitting male employees 30 minutes.

The reliable sources regarding the matter said that all employees—both male and female—are entitled to a standard 30-minute grace period, which can be used either upon arrival in the morning or when leaving at the conclusion of official working hours. Female employees are granted an additional 15 minutes when leaving. These grace periods will remain in effect even during June, July, and August, when official working hours are reduced to six hours.

In an interview with Kuwait TV, Basma Al-Yaqoub, Director of the Fatwa and Opinion Department at the CSC, clarified that the reduction in working hours applies to employees working both morning and evening shifts. For the morning shift, there are two types of work schedules:

• Fixed Hours: Determined by the employer, with a 30-minute grace period, beginning at either 7:00 AM or 8:00 AM.
• Flexible Hours: Allowing a 30-minute grace window between 7:00 AM and 8:00 AM.

Employees on the flexible schedule whose workday begins at 7:00 AM and who do not use their morning grace period can apply it upon departure. Combined with the extra 15-minute allowance, female employees may leave at 12:15 PM and male employees at 12:30 PM.

Similarly, employees on the flexible schedule whose workday begins at 8:00 AM can take advantage of the grace period upon departure if they did not use it in the morning. In this scenario, female employees would finish at 1:15 PM and male employees at 1:30 PM.