The Department of Labor and Employment has provided assistance to 59 overseas Filipino workers in Qatar who were terminated last year but did not receive their separation pay and other benefits.
The Philippine Overseas Labor Office in Doha worked closely with the Qatar Ministry of Administrative Development Labor and Social Affairs for the payment of the benefits after the workers were terminated late last year by their employer.
“We are grateful for the assistance given by the Qatar government that compelled their previous employer to give the affected OFWs all the salaries and benefits due them,” Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said.
He said the 59 workers, employed by Leighton Contracting Company, were terminated from work in December 2019 on redundancy issues. Leighton, however, failed to provide salaries and separation benefits, prompting the workers to file a complaint with the POLO in Qatar.
The workers were employed as site engineers, site supervisors, foreman, plumbers, riggers and carpenters. They had been employed by Leighton for 2 to 5 years prior to their termination.