Hi everyone, this is long but I could really use some advice.
I’m currently employed in the education sector in the UAE. For quite some time, management has enforced certain rules which were questionable so I called the Labour center to understand my rights. Here are a few points to try and break it down and the circumstances which followed;
Management requested my original degree/certificate when I started which I believed was for paper work.
-after paperwork was complete I asked for my degree to be returned and was told no that will stay in my employment file, I stated that I was in contact with Labour and they have told me it was illegal to hold any personal documents, management began trying to convince me that I was given wrong info and lectured me about contacting this body.
Somewhere in between or perhaps before, I received my contract 5 months after my original start date with the day of work commencement being 5 months later.
-legally the contract should have been issued within 3 months however, I questioned the start date and they had many excuses and rushed me into signing it saying it will be more prolonged if I don’t sign. I signed in duress and later regretted it so management stamped a letter which stated my start date.
I was given annual leave and was told that they will give me my degree and withhold my salary (which was always paid in cash as they were late processing my paperwork so couldn’t deposit in the bank) until I return my degree when I come back. I stated I do not feel comfortable with them holding on to my important documents. So they were happy to just withhold my salary and pay it once I return from leave (I was informed by the labor center previously that salaries must be paid in full before employee goes on leave) as I had just received my degree I didn’t mind agreeing.
It’s probably best to mention that since I started working there that staff members would ask about my level of experience or put me down. The day I’m due to go on leave, management called all staff into the office and began talking about a certain member of staff without mentioning names but saying that although this staff member has experience, they are very weak/sensitive. It wasn’t hard to see that this was about me but as no names were mentioned I knew I shouldn’t question it.
I return back from my leave and was informed by an assistant that I’m required to stay an hour extra during the whole summer camp due to all other lead teachers being on leave and me being the only lead teacher. As this was not discussed with me previously by mgmt and no discussion about overtime, I clocked out at my usual time as stated in my contract.
The following day, the “supervisor” questioned me about leaving and I explained those have always been my working hours. She seemed nervous and “politely “ ask if I would consider switching my timings around to accommodate them and the parents.
The next day I informed her that as there was only one day left until the weekend I could change my timings the beginning of next week. I went to the class, done my duties (the assistants have formed a group where they decide to talk with each other and not complete their work efficiently) an incident occurred and I later found out that a child got hold of glass and smashed it, (I was dealing with another child when this happened so I didn’t know the details of how it happened) it didn’t cause any injuries however, I was called into the office roughly 15 minutes later and given a warning stating I neglected the duties regarding health and safety and asked to sign. I questioned her asking did she find out what actually happened as no one seemed to know and has she checked the cameras as I know I am not responsible. her response was “you’re the lead teacher, you must sign it” I refused to sign and tore up the letter, mgmt was called, I told her exactly what I was doing when the incident occurred, she looked over the cameras, realized I was accused in the wrong, didn’t apologize but just said I shouldn’t have been given the warning.
I have now been back for a week and I sign of my salary however I was informed that it had been deposited in the bank as she requested my account details during my leave and I believed it would be paid in cash for the salary they withheld and the following month would be a bank transfer. I checked, it’s not there. I msgd the supervisor and she asked me “why would you expect your salary now? it’s always at the end of the month” I reminded her of how I’m back from leave and still haven’t been paid since last month. She then changed the story and said I didn’t give my account details in time and that no special circumstances can be made for one staff member.
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12 replies
Feelingvictimized · 22/06/2018 05:51
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