Court Awards Foreign Worker BD 2,500

Wage Delay Case Ends in Ruling

Labour court ordered two travel and tourism companies to pay nearly BHD 2,500 to a foreign employee after ruling in her favour regarding delayed wages and unpaid entitlements.

The First Major Civil Labour Court found that the worker was owed outstanding salary payments, annual leave compensation, and end-of-service benefits, in addition to a certificate of service.

The employee resigned from her position, citing repeated delays in salary payments and alleged verbal harassment by a company partner. A police complaint was also filed in connection with the incident, her lawyer said.

According to lawyer Zohour Al-Sayed, her client joined one of the companies in 2023 as a sales representative on a monthly salary of BHD 400 before being transferred to another firm operating in the same sector.

The claimant later submitted her resignation, seeking unpaid wages, deductions, leave entitlements, and compensation for delayed payments.

The companies disputed the claims, arguing that a valid contract stipulated a monthly salary of BHD 150 and insisting that all dues had been fully settled. They also alleged document discrepancies and submitted salary receipts and social insurance records in their defence.

However, the court heard testimony from a former sales manager confirming the employee was paid BHD 400 monthly, including cash payments made outside formal channels.

In its ruling, the court said the employers had failed to present original documentation supporting their claims and stressed that wage obligations must be fulfilled through legally recognised banking methods.

The court ordered the first company to pay BHD 1,116 in overdue wages, BHD 401 in leave compensation, and BHD 40 in end-of-service benefits, along with interest and a certificate of service. The second company was ordered to pay BHD 746 in unpaid wages and BHD 83 in leave compensation, in addition to issuing a certificate of service. Both firms were also ordered to cover legal fees.