Job Discussion Forums

[kaw]

So much has been happening at HCT that its reputation for being one of the best places in the UAE to work are no longer true.

Everyone has heard about staff being relocated - some of the 'luckier' ones to colleges in the same city others to colleges in the middle of nowhere or to CERT which seems to have aproblem paying staff on time.

And now - the biggie - people are leaving!! Quite a few of them in fact. A while ago (so I'm told) they all signed their final settlement agreements - made plans, spent all their money-to-be arranging shipping, paying of loans etc...as you do.

A week before these people are due to leave they receive an email with an updated final settlement - which in some cases is half of what they had previously been told they were entitled to - a month's salary for others.....

The reason for doing so .......... the powers that be 'made a mistake'.....these original agreements were signed in April - it's now June!!!!!!!! Of course it is only to be expected......this is after all HCT - they can do exactly what they want.

[rocketchild]

Don't let them intimidate you.

The law passed in the UAE with regards to housing and relocation allowances clearly states that no worker, teacher, employee at any level, shall have to repay any portion of their housing or relocation allowance if they have worked just one year out of their contract.

This law applies to all. And it does not matter if you have a 3 year or 4 year contract.

It was made to stop such exploitation of workers who are recruited then fired one month before their contract ends.

And if you are TERMINATED, you do NOT have to pay ANYTHING back and they MUST pay your flight home. Even if you are fired less than one year into your contract.

This is the law.

If your employer is asking you for any amount of money, ask them politely to put it all in writing and sign it. Have them put it on company letter head if you can.

Then walk into a police station and file a complaint against the person who has asked you for this money. It is called EXTORTION and it is illegal.

It is not a labour issue, it is a criminal issue when an employer or any person even in the human resource department asks you for this.

DO NOT FEEL INTIMIDATED. Most of these people are from countries where this sort of thing is 'normal'. But they do know it is illegal in the UAE , still they try to get any amount out of you.

[kaw]

Whether that applies to hct is another matter entirely being a government run body (sort of - when it's convenient for them) it seems the normal labor laws don't apply.

[rocketchild]

Yes it does apply to GOVT contract as well.

The management will often use the line, this is the Gov't the rules are different for us as a way of confusing teachers and employees.
Yes they have FEDERAL law, which will more than likely go in your favour.

The labour department is different. It is located in the 'old Jumeriah Jail".
Where is that?

Down toward Jumeriah beach, hidden amongst some trees, near the CO-OP.
You drive towards the CO-OP but don't go all the way to the residential street that the co-op is on. You look to your left and see some dirt road and maybe a small gov't sign. The entrance is off the dirt road.

But ask anyone where is the 'old Jumeriah jail, and you will find it.

It is actually a FAST process to complaint against your company and you can now do it ONLINE with such places like HCT who are under gov't rule.
USE THE SMART FORM online

Within a week you will have your first hearing. They will offer mediators who will look at your contract and any claims made by HCT.
On the spot they make a ruling, and within a week or so more you know weather or not you go to trial or if you don't want to go you can work at a settlement on the spot in the office with the mediators.

But if they are asking you for money you DON'T owe, and are breaking the law then it is actually a criminal matter. Walking into a police station with your contract and any doccument that says paid us XXXXX thousands of dirhams. And once the police show up in the managers office or the HR dept., you can bet the issue will not go to court but will be resolved on the spot.

Going to court is a bitch. But, don't let them try to extort money out of you. This is not the same as a labour issue.

LINKS TO LOOK AT FOR TEACHERS

http://www.mol.gov.ae/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=15&Itemid=29

and

http://www.mol.gov.ae/index.php?lang=en

THE SMART FORMS are the online complaints. It seems the English page isn't working so well today, but if you have an ARABIC friend who is willing to type out a complaint for you this will move things faster as usual. They don't need to sign their name just yours.

I know people at the gov't office, they tell me they are being very pro-active in stamping out corruption in the education sector.

That being said I am still not happy with the system but it is a start.
And if you find you can't drive around filling in forms, believe me do it ONLINE.

Within a week you will hear from them.

good luck and don't let them take money that you do not owe, it is pure explotation.

oh yes, get the human resource dept. to GIVE you an ARABIC copy of your contract, they will look at this more seriously than the english version. And it does exist in your file.

Put it in writing that you have asked for a copy. Keep all email transactions and be professional.

[veiledsentiments]

Yes, these organizations will screw you if they can, but before we all jump on them, just a couple points. First, not everyone who was moved is unhappy about it... even those moved to distant locations. In fact, a few I know are thrilled about the change.

As to the pay issue, each person can easily calculate how much money they should be getting. This isn't advanced accounting. I can't tell you how many times over the years that I had fellow teachers hysterical over pay or electric bills that were wrong... and when I sat down with them with a calculator, it was the teacher that was wrong.

For all we know reading this, the first calculations could have been wrong. All we yet know is that it is different. There should be a breakdown of the monies... salary due plus gratuity - which should be broken down in a way that matches one's contract. Before rushing to the police station, the teachers involved should sit down and figure out the correct numbers so they don't look like fools.

We don't know if the furniture allowance is relevant here. From what I have heard, most of the ones leaving seem to be those that have been there for years, so that isn't an issue. These aren't people who are breaking their contracts who would be the only one's who owed back furniture allowance as per their contracts.

VS

[rocketchild]

VS you are wayyy off the mark
it has been many years since you have lived in the UAE

things have changed, some for the better some for the worse.

The corruption we are talking about does not have the TEACHERS in the wrong.


Stop talking about what you know nothing of, you have not lived in the UAE for years and know nothing but second or third hand information about the laws in the UAE. I speak of first hand information.

And again you are wrong, breaking your contract lol, does not mean you have to pay anything back. That is old times. Laws have changed.

Now you may quit and not be punished. As long as you have worked one year you do not have to pay any allowance back.

This was done to allow workers to have more human rights and not be punished for 'not' being happy with their company and needing to leave.

This year we shall see the UAE move to eliminate SPONSORSHIP for many positions. They are working that out now and it will mean more freedom to quit your job and find new work.

Why do you speak when you do not know what you are talking about. It is a disgrace to the teachers.

[metateacher]

It seems the problem is the end of service payment. They are not including the final year and say the teachers have not worked a full year as they would have started in August or September but leaving in June. One of my colleagues is over 15,000 dhs out of pocket as he has lost 1 month's gratuity.

This seems to be a new interpretation as everyone I know who already left got credited with a full final year.

[veiledsentiments]

Really r-child... you should get control of yourself. I am not speaking from second or third, I know lots of people still working for HCT. That is why I know that you should watch your mouth so that you don't make a fool of yourself. We are not talking about corruption... get a grip and get back to topic.

Plus I don't believe the housing allowance is even being discussed here. You are the one bringing it up... and according to my friends currently teaching there, most of the departures have completed 1-4 contracts so this is a non-issue.

What is under discussion is whether they are getting their full salary plus gratuity at departure.

VS
(and metateacher has confirmed the situation)

[veiledsentiments]

[veiledsentiments]

Another thought... rather than edit, I will put it separately.

They used to pay partial year gratuities... so they should have at least paid 10/12's of it. But that was if you left within the academic year rather than the end

...and even that isn't really valid because if they have paid you for the full year's salary, they have confirmed completion of contract.

VS

[rocketchild]

like i said 2 or 3rd hand information VS.

[veiledsentiments]

I'll inform my friends at HCT of the fact that they are apparently ignorant liars who couldn't possibly know or understand what is happening.

Are you teaching there? Do you normally lie to your friends about your work situation? Or are you using the knowledge of your friends too?

VS

[like2answer]

I just rang my friend. Friend is leaving HCT. Friend was told that the gratuity was one month salary for each month including July. 5000 shipping. We did the math together. That was 140,000, just like HCT said. No one gets anything until all paperwork is finished, which hardly anyone has finished, so no one has gotten their money yet.

Heard a rumour that a teacher at one of the Eastern colleges was let go a while back and didn't get any gratuity for the 4 years she taught, but I never saw proof.

The curriculum leader at HCT for diploma foundation (she is just a teacher who does extra duties) sent out an email today. Her email was about the survey submitted by teachers in DF about what they liked and disliked. Surprisingly, this "hell" of HCT had a 98% approval rate by teachers actually liking their job. If that is hell, count me in.

[al bidarnd]

[tek44]

I just finished my first year with HCT. Although HCT is not perfect, I had a great year and I am happy.