Kuwait rolls out decentralised system for handling labour complaints

The Kuwait Labour Relations Department at the Public Authority for Manpower (PAM) has begun implementing a new system for receiving and processing labour complaints, with a particular focus on cases filed against small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

A source said the move forms part of ongoing efforts to modernise working procedures and enhance service quality. Under the revised system, complaints can now be submitted through labour relations departments in individual governorates, rather than being handled centrally at Mubarak Al-Kabeer as was previously the case.

The change is expected to ease pressure on a single office and ensure a more balanced and orderly distribution of cases.

The new mechanism will process complaints through a scheduled appointment system, taking into account the nature of each case and the location where it was filed, whether at the governorate or departmental level in Kuwait.

The source said this approach would save time and effort for workers while helping to speed up the resolution of labour disputes.

He added that the reform is in line with PAM’s broader push to improve the working environment, strengthen administrative efficiency, and introduce greater speed and flexibility in dispute resolution.

The changes, the source noted, are intended to serve the interests of all parties in labour relations and support stability in the labour market in Kuwait.