Saudi Arabia: Workers settle unpaid wages totalling US$1.5m through govt. complaints mechanism
Summary
Date Reported: 27 Aug 2019
Location: Saudi Arabia
Other
Not Reported ( Sector not reported/applicable ) - EmployerAffected
Total individuals affected: 134
Migrant & immigrant workers: ( Number unknown - Bangladesh - Sector unknown , Gender not reported ) , Migrant & immigrant workers: ( Number unknown - India - Sector unknown , Gender not reported ) , Migrant & immigrant workers: ( Number unknown - Nepal - Sector unknown , Gender not reported ) , Migrant & immigrant workers: ( Number unknown - Pakistan - Sector unknown , Gender not reported ) , Migrant & immigrant workers: ( Number unknown - Sri Lanka - Sector unknown , Gender not reported )Issues
Wage TheftResponse
Response sought: No
Action taken: The case was settled by the department of Friendly Settlement at the labour office in Al Khobar, with the workers receiving the overdue amounts. Indian nationals, accounting for the largest demographic, received a total of SAR4.5m (US$1.2m).
Source type: News outlet
"Saudi authorities settle dues worth SAR5.7m owed to 134 expats," 26 Aug 2019
Officials in the Saudi city of Al Khobar have settled the claims of 134 expatriate workers who were owed SAR5.7m by their employer... Indian nationals... received over SAR4.5m. Nationals from Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh also received the overdue amounts... labour offices across the kingdom have a timeframe of 21 days to amicably settle disputes. If no settlement is reached within that period, labour offices have to electronically submit the case to the labour courts... Following a slump in the kingdom’s construction sector, hundreds of thousands of workers were left with unpaid dues over the last few years.