answers needed from Qatari experts!
Hello there
I have three questions, and would like to have your helps.
1.Job offer VS job contract
After a very long of hiring process, I received an one-page employment offer from a Qatari Comany for an office job. The offer contains brief information such as job title, salary and benefits.
I believe that this is not an employment contract. Also there is one line in the offer states ' the employment contract shall be signed after passing the probation period (3 months not more than 6 months)'.
I would like to know if this is common practice in Qatar: to get a work contract after you already worked for 3 months? Personally, I prefer to have a document states clearly about the scope of my responsibilities, terms of penality/termination,working enviroment and hours, etc. how necessary to ask for the formal contract before I move to Qatar?
2. components of the salary:
Under the title of total salary: there are 4 components: basic salary and mobile allowance, easy to understand. but what are exceptional allowance and nature of work allowance?
3.Medical insurance
The offer includes 'medical card from Hamad Medical Corporation', which everyone should have, I think? Is it necessary to ask for Private Medical Insurance?
Thank you very much for your help, and looking forward to hearing your opinions/advices.
Hi, Goodlittleboy,
Thank you again for all your help, I am sure something good is waiting for you ahead! Good luck and all the best!
Thanks for this question and answers! The last time I was employment in May 2020 then I lost my job. In 2021 I want to find new employment and I will need to do the same.
Goodlittleboy, once again thank you very much for your help!
During your probation period whether it be 3 or 6 months duration, the company has the right to terminate your service giving you just a day's notice. If that is what is what you mean by "protection", then yes it is not protected.
To my knowledge, the holiday starts from the date of satisfactory completion of the probation period when you sign the contract. Your End of Service benefits also get calculated from this day. Yes, you are allowed to avail leave should any emergency arise in your family even if you have not completed 12 months service in the company.
Trust this helps.
Hi Goodlittleboy,
Thank you very much for taking the time to help me. Your comments indeed very helpful. May I please ask you few more questions?
Normally and legally, when should the contract to be signed? My offer said it would be signed after the probation which is 3 months however can be extend to 6 months. In this case, my first 3 or 6 months work is not protected?
According to the law, a copy of the contract will be submitted to the Authority within 7 days after the arrival in order to apply the work and residence permit. In my case, it means that the contract is already there, will be submitted without my signature, and I can only know the contents after the probation. Is this right?
Holidays are eligible after 12 months services. Does the 12 months include the probation or count from the day when the contract is signed? Do you know if employee can take leave on short notice during the first 12 months e.g. for family emergency.
Once again, thank you very much for your kind help!
I am not an expert but possibly I may be able to give you some guidance on your queries.
The job Offer Letter is not a Contract. This letter just shows the company's interest in hiring you spelling out the terms of employment. It is a common practice for companies to state a probation period usually of 3 months duration but sometimes of 6 months duration. During this probation period, the employer can terminate you with just a day's notice without any benefits. On the other hand, a Contract is a totally different document. A Contract must be legalized by the authorities. Once it is legalized, it becomes binding on the parties involved. If you sign a Contract with your employers which has then been legalized, rules and regulations as set forth by the Ministry comes into play. Either of the parties can take an issue to the court of law should the terms of the Contract be violated. I doubt very much if your employer would be willing to sign a Contract with you before you join. It is usually not done. However, you can give it a try.
From what I could understand from "exceptional allowance and nature of work allowance" is that the employer may from time to time give you some form of cash incentive. These will not be part of your salary and will not affect your End of Service benefits.
As for "private medical insurance", most companies don't provide this facility. If they have not stated this in your Job Offer Letter, it means that possibly the company does not provide this facility. You can check with them though.