Firms Can Terminate Workers 
If Facilities Wrongly Used

Ahmed Abdul Aziz - Khaleej Times
5 January 2009

 

ABU DHABI - Firms can terminate workers if they are found using company facilities for personal purposes such as cars, materials, phone and the internet, as per the rules and regulations of the Disputes Department in the Ministry of Labour (MoL).

If a worker misuses the firm’s assets, the employer has the right, as per the labour law, to notify the worker and the penalties can include termination of the employee.

Recently, a salesman in Sharjah filed a complaint to the ministry when his employer sacked him for using the Internet for personal use.

“The owner asked for Dh6,000 alleging that I used the Internet for two months. When I refused, he terminated me,” he said.

He added, “The legal advisor in the labour office will transfer the case to the court if I dodn’t pay Dh6,000 despite me not using the internet.”

According to the labour law, an employer can terminate an employee after the first notice in addition to deducting 25 per cent of his a day’s wage. In case of a repetition, the deduction would be 50 per cent of a day’s wage, and if the employee continues with the same behaviour, the owner can deduct a full day’s wage.

On further violation of the company’s rules, a notice stating that face termination would follow, can be issued.