Abu Dhabi, August 11: The Ministry of Labour (MoL) has rejected the clemency request and penalty waiver demands of seven Abu Dhabi-based companies that were found for violating the ministry’s mid-day break rules, a ministry official said on Monday.
Talking to reporters at the weekly ‘Open Day’ held in the ministry’s premises in the capital, Saleh Al Jabri, Director of Firms Department in the MoL, said, “There will be no forgiveness for any lapse by those who breached the ministry’s laws for mid-day breaks for labourers. We have turned down their requests.”
Under the punishments, the violating establishment will be moved to category C for a period of at least three months and charged an amount of Dh10,000 if the violation was committed for the first time, and if the establishment was in C category, its work permits will not be accepted for at least six months, and it will be charged the stipulated amount.
In case of a second violation, a category B establishment will be moved to category C and its work permit applications will not be accepted for at least six months; the company will also be fined Dh20,000. In the event of the offence being repeated for the third time, it will be demoted to C category and its applications for new work permits will not be accepted for at least one year; the fine for a third offence is Dh30,000.
In June, 2009, the MoL launched a new service to enable workers to report companies that denied them the mid-day break; a dedicated toll-free number 800665 was specifically set up for this purpose. Workers can also report delays in wage payments.
The noon work break, enforced by the MoL, is effective from July to August from 12.30pm until 3pm, during which workers in the construction and building sector are supposed to cease working.
Compensation case
A labourer who injured his spinal cord while working for a service company in Abu Dhabi in 2001 has urged the dispute settlement department of the MoL to ask the company to
offer compensation.
The Asian employee, who had received treatment at the expense of the company, said that although talks for compensation have been going on with company officials since 2001, they have denied compensation as “I moved to another company this year after recovery. So I approached the MoL for compensation claims.”
On hearing the matter, Khalil Khoury, Director of Work Permits Department at the MoL, who also attended the Open Day, said, “We would study and examine all medical examination reports and other legal procedures which can be taken up in the matter. If his demand for compensation is valid, he will be entitled for it.”
Balram Shankar, legal consultant, said, “A person can claim such compensation within three years, after which it will be held invalid. Complaints about the delay or non-payment of wages can be lodged within one year.”
Another legal consultant, Tariq Nassar, said, “If there is some acceptance [of] evidence between the company and the individual, the person has the right to claim for the compensation anytime and file a case, too.”
–Agencies