# yet another salary complaint .....



## meseta (Jan 12, 2009)

I hear of more and more stories of friends and colleagues who have been waiting many ( up to 4 as far as I know ) months for salaries. This is despite the laws in Abu Dhabi which should ensure salaries are paid into the Ministry account before the 24th of the month so that payment can be made on time to employees. 

My situation is one which is a little more complicated, as I'm sure they all are !

According to my contract of employment by an LLC company, owned by a well known family here in Abu Dhabi. Several things were promised in the contract. salary, leave etc and a reasonable amount for my housing. It was negotiated at my interview, agreed and signed by myself and the CEO of the company. Until I could organise a house move, find a suitable place to stay and move my family to Abu Dhabi ( from within the UAE ) we were put up, on a bed and breakfast basis, in a local hotel. Within a couple of weeks I began to realise that my promised housing allowance was not going to materialise as ' there are no funds for this sort of thing ' and the CEO refused to pay the housing allowance. My furniture was now in storage, my wife had given up her previous job to move, so really I was not in any position to make my case for housing. We had to just stay in the hotel, and wait. 

As the weeks went by, with our passports in the hands of the company HR department, and a confirmed no-objection letter from my previous employer supplied to HR, I asked when my work permit etc would be transferred to the new employer. I was told it is all in hand and just to leave the matter to HR. 

Now we are more than 5 months into working for this employer and I have discovered that that my sponsorship cannot be transferred as I understand the company has been late on every month's payment of salaries and the Ministry of Labour refuse to give any more labour cards ! Also there is the slight matter of the fact we are now into our fourth month without salary.

I called the Ministry to ask about the complaints procedure, to be told that as I don't have a labour card, I can't make a complaint. When I asked my colleagues to consider making a complaint, the reply was if anyone made a complaint, the local boss would have them banned from the UAE forever as he had friends within the ministry and he would find out about who made the complaint, despite assurances of anonymity. 

Several of my colleagues have made representations to this despicable individual, and have been told that he is 'above the law' and is simply not paying. 

Do remember that this family are a well known, respected by some, local family. The individual who runs this business does really think he is above the law. 

So what do we do ? Leave ? stay ? Is the confidential complaint system confidential ? or will using it possibly destroy any future employment in the UAE ? 

Any advice would be appreciated.

If you have never been in this position it would be very difficult for you to appreciate how bad this feels, so comments like get on with it and make a complaint are less than helpful; I say in advance of such comments !


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## cmajewsk (Aug 31, 2010)

Forget the complaint - it'll only hurt your family and yourself. You need to find another job ASAP! If they are not going to pay you, you need to move on. How are you making ends end meet if you are not bringing in any money? You must have some expenses. I would start job hunting, and when you get another offer, and you tell your current company you are leaving, say you need money to live, and walk.


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## Oyibopeppeh (Sep 8, 2010)

I agree. Cut your losses, put it down to experience and get yourself another job.


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## meseta (Jan 12, 2009)

Thanks for the responses, yes indeed, I am working on that ! 
All the best.


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