Workers violating rules still face one-year ban

New job only after completion of penalty

Dubai, Jan 7,2010: Workers in the private sector, who have a one-year ban imposed on them by the Labour Ministry for violating labour or residency laws, need to complete the ban before being able to apply for a new job, ministry officials have said.

Officials at the Ministry of Labour's Open Day yesterday said that the one-year ban is different from the six-month ban imposed by the ministry.

The ministry clarified that no automatic six-month ban will be imposed on workers who leave their jobs but a one-year ban will be imposed on offenders of labour and residency laws, including violating labour laws, or breaking an employment contract.

Last month, new rules were issued by the labour ministry allowing a worker to switch jobs after the end of his employment contract without requiring a no-objection certificate to avoid a six-month ban.

Officials have clarified that the new rules have nothing to do with other bans.

During the Open Day, many employers requested the ministry to reduce fines imposed on them citing a lack of awareness.

The ministry declined to cancel the one-year ban imposed on four workers Thursday because they did not yet complete the ban period, even if one or two months were left to complete their one-year ban period. According to Aysha Bilharfya, Director of the Department of Labour Office said that there was no exemption on ban issue.

She said the ministry will not remove the ban for any worker before a year from the date of the ban, noting that there were no exceptions in this regard.

She said that the ban imposed on workers who offend the labour law is different from what used to be called "Ministry of labour six-month ban," which is cancelled by the new decisions and allows a worker who is ending his or her work relationship with the current sponsor to obtain a new permit and move to another company.

Photo :The ministry clarified that no automatic six-month ban will be imposed on workers who leave their jobs but a one-year ban will be imposed on offenders of labour and residency laws, including violating labour laws, or breaking an employment contract.

Image Credit: By Megan Hirons Mahon, Gulf News

- Gulf News