Habib worked for the company for more than four years in the Majardah General Hospital in Asir province. His salary was SR2,500 per month.
“The company stopped paying my salary in July 2008 and I was sacked unjustly on June 14, 2009, after I filed a case against the management,” said Habib.
The Egyptian said a Saudi citizen in Al-Majardah offered him a room in his house after he knew about his suffering. He also helped Habib send his family back to Egypt.
Habib sought help from many departments, including the Asir governorate, the Egyptian Embassy and the Egyptian Ministry of Labor and Immigration. He presented a complaint to the governor of Al-Majardah which transferred the case to the labor office in Abha.
On June 26, 2009, the labor office ruled that he should receive his outstanding salaries. However, the case was transferred to the reconciliation committee at the Labor Ministry’s office in Abha. Habib filed an appeal in Jeddah as he felt the decision by the reconciliation committee did him an injustice.
Habib said he had sent a request to the governorate in Abha to grant him a final exit visa but up to now, he received no response. He said that his passport was still in the possession of the company and that it would expire in May.
Arab News has copies of all official letters and documents regarding Habib’s problem among which is the decision made by the reconciliation committee at the Ministry of Labor, which ordered the company to pay Habib SR18,858.50 and repatriate him and his family. Habib, however, believes this decision is unfair.
Arab News contacted the company’s head office in Riyadh and the head of the administrative and employees affairs there said the information given by Habib was inaccurate.
He said Habib had been excluded by the Ministry of Health after the contract with the ministry ended.
He said, “All workers who were with him either got a final exit or transferred their iqamas elsewhere. We attempted many times to solve the matter peacefully but all efforts failed.”
He said Habib alleges that the company owes him SR100,000. The company’s records show otherwise.
“Our records prove he has no claim,” said the official.
“After the expiration of the contract, we informed the hospital that we did not need him. If the hospital wanted his services, it should sign a contract with him and pay his salary, but the hospital declined,” he added.
