JEDDAH, 28 April 2006 — The ongoing dispute over the past six years between an expatriate worker and his employer in Riyadh has left the expatriate’s family in abject poverty, a local newspaper reported yesterday.
Ehab, whose full name was not provided, was a salesman at his sponsor’s establishment when some difference of opinion arose between him and the employer about the gift items and free samples often distributed among customers. As days passed the dispute got nasty and eventually ended with Ehab’s dismissal.
While the terminated worker sought the help of the Labor Office for a settlement of the issue, the sponsor complained at the office that the worker misappropriated SR22,000 from his company. The sponsor later enhanced this amount to SR35,000 when he filed a suit in a law court.
Shortly after that Ehab fell ill suffering mainly from diabetes, blood pressure and weak heart conditions. Gradually the doles he used to receive from some charity organizations stopped. His wife who was working as a nurse in a local clinic was thrown out of her job. It was because she was arrested and jailed on the charge of begging while she visited a government office to inquire about her husband’s matters.
Since his iqama (residence permit) has not been renewed over the past five years his daughter has been denied school admission.
