The ministry of labor issued yesterday a directive warning agencies recruiting migrant domestic workers (MWDWs) of receiving direct or indirect payments from MWDWs. The ministry said it has learned that some offices are forcing migrant works to pay them the salaries of the first months. The ministry noted that it shall take strict measures against any agency owner who is found to violate the regulations of this circular up to the suspension of his/her license. The above decision is based on a proposal by the National Steering Committee on Women Migrant Domestic Workers in Lebanon and on Article 19 of Decree 1/168 dated November 27, 2015, banning offices from receiving any amount of money, directly or indirectly, from migrant domestic workers. (Al Mustaqbal, AL Diyar, December 15, 2017)