KUWAIT:The Public Authority for Manpower’s national labor sector said 1,500 cases will be filed against Kuwaitis who faked their employment over the past few years and have been unlawfully receiving national labor support allowances, pending referring them to the public prosecution, sources said. The sources added that the national labor sector is currently working on a new mechanism to file complaints and cases to retrieve over KD 34 million unlawfully paid to around 5,700 citizens, noting that this measure is meant to cut the national labor support allowances and protect public funds.

The sources explained that Cabinet-related resolutions to freeze the violating companies’ assets and stiffen legal penalties to up to 10 years in prison will be activated as well. In addition, the sources explained that going to court will be the last resort to retrieve the unlawfully paid sums, as the suspects will be initially notified and given a grace period to pay those sums back. The sources also noted that the sector will work on collecting allowances paid to citizens who transferred to government jobs. — Al-Jarida