# Breaking Contract for Medical Reasons



## NZsHome (Apr 22, 2010)

Hi all. Ok so my hubby and I are both teachers in a industrial area of Sharjah. We have a 19 month old baby and I am currently sitting next to her hospital bed as she was admitted to hospital on Thursday night with pneumonia. She also attends the creche at the school we work at. We have lived here since September and she has been on antibiotics 5 times in that time with respitory illnesses. I spoke to her doctor on Thursday before she was admitted about being at our wits end and why she was continuously sick here. He said in no uncertain terms that it was due to living where we do - close to a rubbish dumb, industrial area with chemicals in the air and just generally lots of bugs, not really a good climate for children. I asked him if he would put that in writing to take to our employer as we cannot continue or contracts next year (we signed a 2 year contract) if this is the case. He said he couldnt say anything negative about the area as it would be in breach of his contract. I asked if the whole of the UAE would be bad for her, he said no, just industrial areas like Sharjah. We are at a loss now. We are still going to approach our principal with all her medical records, hospital reports, and chest xrays and try to be released from our contracts. The thing is though, is we still want to work in the UAE, just not here. What are the chances? ANy advice greatly appreciated
:confused2:


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## dizzyizzy (Mar 30, 2008)

Hi, so sorry to hear about your baby  really hope her health improves soon.

I am a bit confused with your question, do you want to continue working for your employer, just not living in that area, or do you want to change jobs as well? 

Have you been searching for jobs? Do you have anything else lined up? 

What is written in your contract regarding getting out of it early? How much notice do you have to give, etc.?


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## NZsHome (Apr 22, 2010)

dizzyizzy said:


> Hi, so sorry to hear about your baby  really hope her health improves soon.
> 
> I am a bit confused with your question, do you want to continue working for your employer, just not living in that area, or do you want to change jobs as well?
> 
> ...


Thanks for your reply.

Ultimately we would like to leave the current employer as I dont really fancy travelling to work (even just between Sharjah and Dubai can be hideously business at peak hours)

We did have a couple of job offers earlier in September that we would consider ringing and seeing if the jobs were still available but didnt really want to do that until we knew about this current situation? Catch 22 I think..

Our contract basically says 1 months notice and we would have to pay everything back if we break contract early and that our employer would not release us to work in the UAE. I am hoping that because this is a medical situation he may change this on compassionate grounds....


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## dizzyizzy (Mar 30, 2008)

NZsHome said:


> Thanks for your reply.
> 
> Ultimately we would like to leave the current employer as I dont really fancy travelling to work (even just between Sharjah and Dubai can be hideously business at peak hours)
> 
> ...


 Speak to your employer, I think what you intent to do (bring all the medical records, and ask to be released due to your baby's illness) is the best option. Would the doctor be able to write a letter at least saying that the condition was caused due to the pollution, bugs, etc. (without blaming a particular area)? Surely that can't be breach of contract, is merely saying the truth about your baby's health. Does your employer pays and choses where you live? Perhaps you arrange with them to move houses so you can keep your baby away from that place, at least until the contract expires and you can change employers?

Are there any other families with similar problems?


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## NZsHome (Apr 22, 2010)

dizzyizzy said:


> Speak to your employer, I think what you intent to do (bring all the medical records, and ask to be released due to your baby's illness) is the best option. Would the doctor be able to write a letter at least saying that the condition was caused due to the pollution, bugs, etc. (without blaming a particular area)? Surely that can't be breach of contract, is merely saying the truth about your baby's health. Does your employer pays and choses where you live? Perhaps you arrange with them to move houses so you can keep your baby away from that place, at least until the contract expires and you can change employers?
> 
> Are there any other families with similar problems?


Yes I think I will ask the doctor if he can make a general statement as you say. I don't see how its being negative about the country, its just stating fact. Yes our employer provides us with furnished accomodation and have rented out whole apartment blocks he may not like that idea, but it is definitely one to ask about. No, as far as I know, our baby is the youngest in our circle and the older children seem ok. I guess her little body just got too much of a shock coming from a small, green rural country to here lol I guess I am just trying to find a loop whole to the whole NOC thing just incase he doesnt give us one....


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## dizzyizzy (Mar 30, 2008)

NZsHome said:


> Yes I think I will ask the doctor if he can make a general statement as you say. I don't see how its being negative about the country, its just stating fact. Yes our employer provides us with furnished accomodation and have rented out whole apartment blocks he may not like that idea, but it is definitely one to ask about. No, as far as I know, our baby is the youngest in our circle and the older children seem ok. I guess her little body just got too much of a shock coming from a small, green rural country to here lol I guess I am just trying to find a loop whole to the whole NOC thing just incase he doesnt give us one....


I sincerely hope your employer is able to understand and show some compassion, I think the letter from the doctor could help to get them convinced on the fact that you need to go and live somewhere else. Unfortunately employer rights around here overweight the employees rights (one of the things that really sucks about this place), since this is due to medical reasons and to an extent your employer could get part of the blame for picking an unsanitary location to work/live perhaps there could something that could be done if you involve the Ministry of Labour, Ministry of Health, etc. but that could take ages/money/headaches to get sorted and who knows what the result might be, and at the end of the day the priority is your baby's health so the soonest you get out of it the better... and I reckon the quickest would be to have a civilised chat with your employer backed up with the medical reports and hopefully the letter from your doctor. I hope someone else comes around with more advice, sorry if I can't be of more help but I don't want to misguide or give you wrong advice either. Good luck and hope everything works out well for your family


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## NZsHome (Apr 22, 2010)

Thanks heaps! We will definitely be heading in to talk to our employer this week. Lets hope it all works out, thanks for your time


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## Jynxgirl (Nov 27, 2009)

All of Sharjah is not an industrial zone. Maybe you can just have them move you to a different area.


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## Constipated Earwig (Feb 12, 2011)

Good luck NZ'shome, that is a pretty terrible situation, all the best with that (from one kiwi to another)  Any human being (with a conscious) can't expect you to stay there with your child being effected so badly, poor lil thing!


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## NZsHome (Apr 22, 2010)

Constipated Earwig said:


> Good luck NZ'shome, that is a pretty terrible situation, all the best with that (from one kiwi to another)  Any human being (with a conscious) can't expect you to stay there with your child being effected so badly, poor lil thing!


Thanks! FIngers crossed eh. This environment is a little too harsh compared to home `


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## dizzyizzy (Mar 30, 2008)

NZsHome said:


> Thanks! FIngers crossed eh. This environment is a little too harsh compared to home `


Hi NzsHome,

I was just wondering what was the outcome of this? Hope you were able to sort out things with your employer regarding your contract with them. Keep us updated if you can!!


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## NZsHome (Apr 22, 2010)

dizzyizzy said:


> Hi NzsHome,
> 
> I was just wondering what was the outcome of this? Hope you were able to sort out things with your employer regarding your contract with them. Keep us updated if you can!!


Hi, thanks for enquiring! Everything has worked out well. We went and spoke to our boss and he was very understanding. He has said he will let us out of our contracts and supply us with a NOC which is great! He will still pay for us to go home in July for the summer (our contracts actually say that if we quit then we have to pay the flights back etc) but he may ask for a little bit back in terms of immigration/ visa costs which we are totally ok with.

On the look out for new jobs now  Our baby is much better so life is good :clap2:


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## dizzyizzy (Mar 30, 2008)

Good to hear, excellent news about your baby's health!!! Happy job hunting


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