27 employees in limbo as their boss flees

A total of 27 employees have not received their salaries for six months or their end of service benefits after their employer fled the country. Some of the employees worked for more than 10 years at the company, which was owned by a Jordanian national.

The Jordanian owned a coffee and hospitality solutions company and two coffee franchises in Dubai. A Filipino waiter at one of the coffee shops, John Paul, said he has not received his salary for more than five months.

"I have my siblings that I take care of. I have to pay for their school tuition fees. I'm the breadwinner in the family. So I need the money that is owed to me as soon as possible," Paul said.

A Bangladeshi chef at one of the coffee shops, Mohammed Abdus Subhan, worked for the company for 13 years. His monthly salary was Dh4,500 and yet to receive his gratuity for 13 years of service.Subhan, who has a wife and two daughters back home, has not been paid for six months. "I worked for more than a decade for that company and this is how they repay me. I put all of my sweat for my employer. I just want him to give me money so I can start over," he said.

"I've been borrowing that from my brother and friends to pay my rent, take care of my expenses and send money to my family in Bangladesh. I deserve justice and so do my colleagues."

A Filipina worker for the company, Anne, has not been paid for five months. She is a single mother of a six-year-old and also looks after her elderly parents. Anne worked for the company for five years.

"My daughter has stopped going to school because I don't have the money to pay for her tuition. I don't have anyone else who can take care of me or my family. I'm a single mother and my parents are retired. They are in the Philippines and they have no one except me," Anne said.

"I need the money that is owed to me and I need to find another job right away. First, my visa needs to be canceled so I can take another employment, but the owner needs to be here for that. But we can't get a hold of him."

Khaleej Times tried contacting the owner of the company several times over the past three days, but he has not responded yet. The paper has also seen the copies of complaints made to the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation by the employees against the company.

Source: Khaleej Times