Job Discussion Forums

Tazz · Joined: 26 Sep 2013 Posts: 512 Location: Jakarta

500 OMR per day withdrawal? As far as I'm aware all the banks have a thousand a day limit.....certainly HSBC do. Good final point about taking a little 'mini vacation' before departure-I really feel that giving a one week break between semesters could make all the difference for the teachers stuck working at the inner MOM and MOHE colleges....end of December until middle of July is a loooong haul! Rolling Eyes

omanoman · Joined: 11 Jun 2014 Posts: 140

Thought I would jump in here and help to clarify a couple of things....

First off, it seems that CVN-76 and Whatever will be have had or are having a tough time and will leave Oman with a bitter taste. It's a shame because the vast majority of teachers here ( how many are there, at least hundreds, right?) are doing just fine.

I just want to specifically comment on this exit procedure that these two have just commented on - there is no special desk for teachers at the airport - that makes it sound like we are so much more problematic or even considered distinctive than anyone else. There is a Manpower desk, true, but that is the Ministry procedure for all, you are stamped out upon exit, end of story. Doesn't it make sense to do that at the point of departure? The same desk exists at the Wajaja border crossing on the road out to UAE.

And more importantly, the law is very clear on the sponsor providing the air ticket out - download and check out the labor law if you haven't already:

www.manpower.gov.om/portal/en/labourlaw.aspx

There are many things in the law here which seem vague and are hard to understand for specific circumstances, but this is not one of those clauses. I sure hope that you two have not been subjected to that sort of abuse or if you are just winding up the board to post some vitriol at your employer but anyway, your rights are clear and will be respected.

I have been here for many years in several places and positions and feel that this general condemnation of employers in Oman is grossly exaggerated. I have been reading what some posters are putting out there and it's only fair to balance it with another perspective.

Again, I am truly sorry if your experience has been so negative and for the ticket issue, know your rights and sort it out!

omanoman

pooroldedgar · Joined: 07 Oct 2010 Posts: 181

It looks like if I work a year and a half, I get a year and a half gratuity? Even if I leave before the end of the current school year. Can anyone confirm?

MuscatGary · Posted: Thu Jun 19, 2014 10:18 am Post subject: Re: rights and conditions

Whatever will be · Joined: 05 Feb 2014 Posts: 303

MuscatGary:
You're spot on!

pooroldedgar:
It depends on your contract.

omanoman:

Thank you for your sympathy and the reference link.

My experience in Oman has been very disappointing (support from the recruitment agency, induction, actual working conditions...)

My contract has a small monthly allowance for air ticket. This covers the legal requirement but not the real cost for my ticket back to my home country.
There is no gratuity at the end of the contract either. Again its a small monthly allowance.

Turn over rates for staff are between 20-25 %. If you look up annual reports of various institutions, you will see that in their own statistics.

Most teachers in the place where I work are from India, the Philippines, other Arab countries (Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan) or " the stans" (formerly the USSR). They will admit over a cup of coffee or a lunch that they are unhappy but never publicly so for fear of losing their job.

The English language skills of these teachers are rather poor. It is clear that they are not posting in this forum as contributions in here are fairly sophisticated in terms of Grammar, Vocabulary, etc.

omanoman · Joined: 11 Jun 2014 Posts: 140

I've heard of these benefits being attached to the monthly packages. Same difference I suppose - as long as they are clearly defined in the contract then I don't see a problem with that. Still, it's probably a bit sneaky if it means the overall amount is the same as before, just cut into more pieces.

To the other poster, yes once you have passed the year mark, the gratuity benefit kicks in for the year and any portion worked thereafter.

Lose and loose, sorry to bring it up but ......it's a bit of a peeve. Please edit!

Omanoman

CVN-76 · Joined: 28 Mar 2014 Posts: 171

omanoman · Joined: 11 Jun 2014 Posts: 140

Just to be clear, again, there is an office, desk, with a window, for the ministry of manpower. It serves to cancel out sponsored visas for every soul who exits the country . It is not for teachers alone because they leave in droves due to the shocking conditions they have endured.

I will repeat my earlier points to add some perspective to this thread which seems to be intent on convincing new comers that Oman is some sort of living hell on earth....

I know teachers that have stayed for a month, a year, two years, 3-5 years and 6 to 7 years and more. I know some who came here without the slightest clue about the culture, heat, food or amenities and left in a huff because they turned out not to be the shining VIP educators they assumed they were, with requisite treatment, plush apartments and grade 'A' students. And I know those who make small differences in their students lives and sleep very well at night for that measure of success. I know many who have the " patience to deal with things they cannot change, the courage to change what they can and the wisdom to know the difference" .

And I know the clock watchers, time wasters, drunks and xenophobes along side the disciplined, respectful, energetic and open minded people who make it worthwhile for the rest of us.

So, there is that as well going on in Oman.....just so you know...

Cheers!

CANDLES · Posted: Sat Jun 21, 2014 7:44 am Post subject:

Did I work with you OmanOman, because you've described some of the teachers down to a pat! Cool

omanoman · Joined: 11 Jun 2014 Posts: 140

I might be.....depending on the level of inebriation, I can probably pass for any one of the above categories! ( happy face ? ) I'm not very adept at this with the ipad......

Seriously though, this situation with the air ticket being part of a monthly allowance is probably not fully above board as far as the Ministry is concerned, after all that clause in the law about repatriation is for the purpose of ensuring that people who have abandoned ( in the language of the labor law) the work or have been terminated must leave the country. Otherwise, it seems like a loose end from the sponsor side.

Any thoughts on that?

Whatever will be · Joined: 05 Feb 2014 Posts: 303

omanoman

Adding a tiny amount (20 RO) to the monthly wage for airfare (which doesn't buy a plane ticket home) and for gratuity (10 RO) makes the salary look higher than that offered by other recruitment agencies.
This 'fiddling' means overall less money for the teacher.

By the time the teacher realizes that, s/he is locked into a contract.

Any teacher not serving until the end of the contract is banned from Oman for 2 years. So, why should the employer worry?
The just file the teacher as 'absconding'.

There are already stories emerging that teachers are offered less salary upon signing for another contract (after their initial one lapsed) for the 2014/2015 academic year. They either sign the same job for less money or have to leave Oman for 2 years.

Yes, I am sure that teachers arrived here 20 years, 10 years or even 5 years ago and had a lovely time but things are changing - and not for the better.

omanoman · Joined: 11 Jun 2014 Posts: 140

That does sound distressing and cheap by the recruiters. I won't say " well, just find another" because the rules have changed.

Still, I think it is worth unpacking this contract manipulation that it seems they are doing. First, know what is your "basic" salary and divide that by 12 for the monthly allowance for gratuity.

The law states that the first 3 years is half the basic salary for gratuity, so if your basic is 600, then 300 divided by 12 is 25 rials. One thing I wonder about is if a teacher leaves in his first year before the end, then the gratuity is not a benefit by law so what do they do? take back the allowance?

10 rials is clearly not enough. I can't find anything in the law about what a minimum basic salary must be as a percentage of the gross but if you are on a package of at least 1000 rials, then a basic salary of less than 300 is less even than the minimum wage of 325-350 for Omanis and would be easily beaten in mediation with the Manpower ministry.

and why not name the recruiter on this forum? then those new hires can come here with a better picture of what to be clear about before signing.

I think I already know it....starts with C and ends with N. Formerly respectable as I remember 4-5 years ago, maybe more.

CVN-76 · Joined: 28 Mar 2014 Posts: 171

The high turnover in Oman can be attributed to a few (good) reasons:

--The students (the main reason)
--Authoritarian, yet incompetent, administrators
--Entrenched colleagues who view new teachers as threats
--Red tape
--The existence of acceptable alternatives

pooroldedgar · Joined: 07 Oct 2010 Posts: 181

It was the first one, for me. The complete meaningless of your work is not something I'd like to get used to. I go back and forth every day about coming back for one more year. Probably not. Even the ones who remain concede this place is a joke. Better a low salary and some professional dignity.

CANDLES · Posted: Sun Jun 22, 2014 10:02 am Post subject:

Surely it's not that bad!

I was there for a year and found a handful of students who were useless; the majority were fine. What I found disturbing was the attitude of some of the teachers and the directors who were buddy buddies and let things slide with their ineffectual management, cliquesness, gossips and overall 'hot air'.

Yet, I'd rather work in Oman than KSA anytime!