AMONG the many new regulations framed by the labour authorities is that of an expatriate employee being able to change jobs without permission from his current employer, if they give their notice by registered post
If, after three months, the employer is still not co-operating, then the employee is free to take up his new post anyway.
But in practice, this does not work, since employers can be vengeful if they are losing someone to another company.
If the employee wishes to go home on leave after giving his notice, the employer may cancel his visa, so he cannot return. Or the employer may refuse to cancel it so he cannot transfer to another sponsor.
Some employers also file false complaints to the police, that the employee is either a runaway or a thief and the police always believe the sponsor.
Once this happens, the employee’s career in Bahrain will be ruined.
We request the Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA) to provide a solution to overcome such problems.
There are also now too many new rules and the LMRA does not work with the speed and efficiency it should.
RK
yes, it is true. although there are so many new rules now implemented by the LMRA, still some of the employersare not following the rules.
Hope the LMRA, can solve this problem to help the foreign workers.
I think LMRA should make some changes in their current law…
like i mean, an expatriate worker have a work valid visa with his sponsor name and now he wish to move onto another employer so he need to registered in a post letter,so within three months ,the LMRA Make sure the employer does know that my employee is moving on to another employer that’s a right way, but I think the registered post system should be available for those who have a valid work visa on their sponsor name, not for those who have already expire visa! because once they renew their work permit then, it will be so easy to move onto another employer without his previous employer permission
and do their new job.
because as a new law once your work visa expired that very day
there will be no connection between the employee & employer!
Thanks
Yes. many rules are applied by lmra baharain for the protection of migrant workers from spiteful bosses but not implemented effectively. Still there are casese of unpaid wages, bad lilving conditions and even the employer is physically assaulting the worker and he goes in anonymy. The proprieter of Hand Made interiors & trading Mr. Haddad is one of the example. nearly 30 to 35 workers not paid their wages for the last 31/2 to 4 months. one worker has run away to escape from his physical harassment. He is thereatening and forcing the people to work without pay. What type of employer is he. now there is no accommodation for this people all are staying with their country men. how many days they can survive like this in a strage place. These workers are illiterate. they don’t know what to do whom to approach. one worker want to go home he was asked to take his own ticket. he took the ticket and gave to the employer. he did not send him. so who will help these people. The CEO of lmra Mr. Al Radhi or the Labour minister/chairman of lmra Dr. Al Alawi. When you read the portal it is very interesting about baharain lmra. in effect it does not work.
Al mighty allah can only do something to help these poor workers.
i agreed as above stated., we are one of that,suffering too., I do to be remain out of the workers go to Labour for a complain.coz still i want to work again gere in bahrain.,now many confusion on my mind.,actualy i want to transfer now to other sponsor, but how and where i can hold that they cannot do something for me or create some thing black mail as the failure of visa processing.with the same of my co-workers, as they are getting the pasport to the police before they leave and commenting they are run away, which is not reliable.,
With this any helpdesk for us, about free visa if stull accptable,
hoping will be clear and give us some assistance.
thanking you.
yup this is true…there is someone i know and i heard her story that his employer was avoiding her to go outside even if shes off and finished duty….she looks like a prisoner….telling her not to go outside is too much… bahrain is a free country not a cell… why interfering with her life if the work is not involved…i heard lots of these situation and scaring them that they will send them in their country…i hope lmra will do some action with these
The passport is the personal property of the employees.But most of the employers are holding the passports of the employees and black mailing to work even with out salary.The employees are not able to go back to their home country even at their own expense.I hope LMRA will take some action against this type of employers..
sir,
Its true. i am one of the victim in the company where i am working. I am working here for 3 years….. all our employees pasport was in the office and the lockerkey was with me.. 1of our employee took stole the key from me and thook his passport from the locker and went to india….. now iam suffering here in the company with out going to india.my employer seid that he will not leave me to india for ever. Dear all i am in bahrain from past 3 year… give me some solution to go… till today i have never cheated this company and am not wiling to do…… plez help
Even if , it is the right of the employees to keep their own passport most of the sponsers are holding the passports of the workers and compelling the workers to work even with out salary .If LMRA takes Strict action against such sponsers the labour exploitation can be solved to some extent
nw i am resigning with my employer but then they are doing everything just to let me stay….yes i have a contrat term for 2 years but i got a much better offer from another employer.now i am having problem because my present employer wants me to pay everthing they have spent with regards to my employment.what shall i do now?how does this new law take effect?why will they send me back to my country while in fact i got a new employer.they cannot evn provide me a copy of the breakdown of the amount they want me to pay.i’m very confused now on how this law works.and how can i transfer?
Sir,
Now iam working ina a comapny with a vlaid visa from 9 months. Now I got a better offer with my eductaion. My sponsor firstly told me to give the expense money for visa and give NOC and release. more than one month I wait. lat my sponsor changed the mind and forced me to signed an agreeement from me before the contracting period I wil try to get other job pay 800 BD and take Ticket in my own expense and cancell the visa. This agreement made in white paper is it valid against me. please give me a reply
So, now what this means is that the employees can promise to stay for a particular duration of time, make the employers ride on this promise and finally break this promise because they get a better oppurtiunity?
Instead of being selfish and just thinking about yourself, think about the employer’s situation.
Just look at the previous message from leg.. Is that really fair? In other parts of the world it is called “Breach of Contract” If you promise something, follow it through. If you are not sure you will be able to fulfill your promises, or if you think you are much more worth than the offer given to you, dont join, dont make false promises.
And I am sure the lmra officials know about the numerous number of rogue employees who are misusing this law and other lmra benefits to falsely accuse employers. Finally, even when it is proved they are lying, nothing much is done on them. The greater loss is always for the employer.
But if an employer does not live up to his/her promises, his/her side of the bargain, then that is a different case.
Please be fair, be just.
This is with regards to the news article in the gdn about the rejection of the job switching bill by the Shura council. Anyone read it?. Mr.Khalid Al Maskati’s views are understandable, that the employee should be able to leave his employer if he is willing to pay the penalty and that a system should not block this switching if the employer consents to the switching. But to reject the bill totally, out of fear of the system would be unfair to employers. Instead the bill should be amended to include these views if needed.
I believe it is not unconstitutional for one to fulfil promises and to pay the compensation if they do not fulfil their promises. Comparing with the system in Dubai- the fastest growing city in the world and also another Arab city from the middle east, the system here in Bahrain is much more lenient and very much favourable to employees. In Dubai, an employee can get banned from working for minimum 6 months if they leave the employer. And the employer can extend this working ban to 2years to ensure that the employee does not become of much immediate use to a rival. Whereas here in Bahrain, employees leave the company saying they are leaving Bahrain for good and then come and join a rival company within the same month. Employers do not bother to file cases most of the time and hence this unfair practice flourishes. In Dubai, an employer can easily stop an employee from joining a rival employer for at least 6months as the hassle involved in invoking this ban is less there. This encourages loyal and more hard working people to prosper, but also helps them to get out of their present employment if they find it unbearable.
I feel that any law made should be fair and just to both employers and employees. And I also feel that no law should encourage unethical practices like breaching of contracts and breaking of promises, whether it be by foreigner or national.
The complaints here are abosolutely true. Even me, My husband is with one of the biggest construction company here in Bahrain and yet his passport and even our passports (me and my son) are all in his employers custody since according to them, our visa is family visa. I thought it was already a law that passports should not be confiscated by employers? Imagine, a very big company with thousands of employees and still not following this rule or this law? Hope LMRA will check companies or will put a call center where an expat or whoever that was violated by employers can call and complain and a quick action will be given. Thank you.