Gulf: Two years into the COVID-19 pandemic, wage theft by unscrupulous employers continues apace for migrant workers with no accountability
Summary
Date Reported: 9 Dec 2021
Location: Saudi Arabia
Other
Not Reported ( Construction ) - EmployerAffected
Total individuals affected: 1
Migrant & immigrant workers: ( Number unknown - India , Construction , Gender not reported )Issues
Poverty Wages , Wage TheftResponse
Response sought: No
Action taken: None reported.
Source type: News outlet
Summary
Date Reported: 9 Dec 2021
Location: United Arab Emirates
Other
Not Reported ( Domestic worker agencies ) - RecruiterAffected
Total individuals affected: 1
Migrant & immigrant workers: ( 1 - Asia & Pacific , Domestic worker agencies , Gender not reported )Issues
Intimidation , Restricted mobility , Wage Theft , Freedom of MovementResponse
Response sought: No
Action taken: None reported.
Source type: News outlet
"Opinion: How the pandemic escalated migrant worker wage theft in the Gulf," 9 Dec 2021
While the act of wage theft or denying workers their dues has long since existed, the pandemic has witnessed a radical escalation… Employers and recruiters, sometimes under financial duress, simply refuse to pay workers who have continued to toil during an unrelenting pandemic...
According to the MFA, wage theft is an umbrella term which comprises the non-payment of dues owed to workers, including but not limited to their salaries, overtime pay, paid sick leave, health insurance and end-of-service entitlements...
States must reconstruct migrant-centred justice systems that ensure employer accountability and recognise the vulnerabilities and barriers faced by migrant workers, especially women...
…employers must ensure that all salaries are paid in full and without delay. As companies continue prioritising profits over worker protections, it is crucial that we advocate for government regulations that will hold employers of migrant labourers accountable for wage theft.