Abu Dhabi workers yet to be paid despite court order

ABU DHABI // On December 17, the Abu Dhabi Court of First Instance ordered a local cleaning company to pay all dues and end of service entitlement to ex-worker Abdul Wahab.

“The court rules that the defendant pay the plaintiff, Dh5,941 in addition to the equivalent of plane ticket and any other expense,” said court documents.

Mr Wahab, after having exhausted of other ways to get his dues paid, filed a lawsuit against the firm.

He worked for the company from October 24, 2004, until July 30, 2015, for a salary of Dh750 a month.

He demanded end of service gratuity, paid annual leave entitlements and unpaid salaries from March until July 2015 in addition to a plane ticket, passports, severance pay, overtime and accommodation expenses.

“In relation to unpaid monthly salary article 56 of labour law states that an employer must pay his worker one month’s salary every month and article 58 of same law states that proof of such payment to workers regardless of value or nature must be in written or against a confirmation from the labourer. Also it falls on employer to provide proof of payment,” court documents said.

“Therefore since the defendant (company) failed to produce a proof of payment from the month of March 1, 2015 until July 30, 2015. therefore the plaintiff (worker) is entitled to an unpaid salary of Dh2,750.”

The court also awarded him a sum of Dh991 for four years eight months and 19 days of service as per the Article of 132 and 133 of the Labour Court.

“As for the air ticket as per Article 131, the worker shall be awarded a plane ticket home, which should be provided by the company. As per Article 125, the employer must return his passport and any other documents that belong to the worker,” the court said in its judgement.

The National obtained copies of the judgement including the expired labour, Emirates ID and health cards.