Job Discussion Forums

burgess29 · Joined: 25 Nov 2011 Posts: 26 Location: Saudi Arabia

Hi Folks,

I worked in KSA for a contractor based in Dammam for 3 yrs and 2 months from 2011 - 2014. This contractor held a contract with an Aramco client in the Eastern Province. The contract expired in May this year - and my contract ended at the same time as the contract between my employer and their client. Technically, I resigned 3 months prior to leaving.

Before I left KSA, I should have received 1 months holiday pay + 1/3rd of 3 years worth of End of Service Benefits as per Saudi Labor Law. I received neither. I was in a hurry to leave KSA to process my VISA papers for a better offer in Saudi, and had no time to take my former employer to the Labor bureau/office over these unpaid monies. I am however, still owed what amounts to approximately 28,000 SAR.

I am now back in KSA with my new employer. Is it possible for me to pursue these unpaid monies, which I can prove are still owed using bank statements, my old contract and exit and re-entry dates? Could I go to the labour office about this, or has that ship sailed?

Any help would be much appreciated

burgess29

plumpy nut · Joined: 12 Mar 2011 Posts: 1652

Go to your former company and talk to them about it. If they refuse the next step is the Labor Bureau. You might not want to go to the Labor Bureau over 28000 Riyals, take my word for it.

scot47 · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343

1/3rd ? I thought it was 1/2 ?

lcanupp1964 · Joined: 12 Dec 2009 Posts: 381

It's good that you are back in KSA. Anyone trying to do what you are trying to do would have zero chance if they were outside the Kingdom.

I would do anything and everything I could do up until seeking legal action. The time, pain-in-the-butt hassle and money it would cost is not enough to cover 28,000sr. I'm assuming you are either from the US or the UK (?). If you are, you might want to throw a little "wasta" around to see where it can get you. I know and you know that we don't really have any wasta and our governments would do jack squat to helps us, but maybe your former company might think otherwise.

I have seen a few teachers from the states get fired over the five years I've been at KAU. Each of them went to go sit in the university president's outer office for days at a time waiting to speak with him. Each time this method was used, the pres. granted the teachers an extra year on their contracts. Find the highest-ranking company official and go sit in his outer office and wait until he speaks with you. It has worked before.

If you are working/living on the other side of the country, you will have almost no chance. Letters and emails are not effective over here. Face-to-face- confrontation is what works best - even if you have to act like a "crazy-a** western".

cultofpersonality · Joined: 12 Jan 2012 Posts: 94

Did you sign that final exit form which stated that you have settled everything with your employer?