Issues with a previous employer
Need some serious advice please.
So, I came to Doha through a company but with my own visa which has not been transferred to them. In short, I am still on my own visa. They flew me out from the US to Doha, at the time I was interviewed and given an offer, I have been told that it's going to be salary plus accommodation and this is what was in our signed offer letter.
Unfortunately, when I'm finally here, I didn't like my company - it was very disorganized and unprofessional so I left 20 days later. I now found another job and my previous company is so upset. I haven't been paid for the 20 days that I worked for. In my offer letter, in case I did not want to continue, I should pay the company back for the airfare costs. I am happy to do that - and with my unpaid salary, we're almost even - with about 300 riyals extra I need to pay them.
The employer now wants to pay me the accommodation costs as well. At the time I was being interviewed, they said they will provide an apartment, but when I came nothing was ready so they put me in a hotel. I don't think it's my fault if they spent so much, to begin with, they should have prepared for this beforehand. Of course I don't want to pay all these costs - it is too much and moreover, I didn't ask them to put me in a hotel.
Can they do something bad to me? They call and call me, I mean, I don't know this culture well enough, and the business ethics are quite different at least from where I come from - but if we go by what I signed for with them, the only thing I need to pay them back is the air ticket, which like I said I am more than willing to do.
Please, can anyone give some real advice here. Only facts please. Can they do something against me, like file a case or something? Thank you.
Read more: http://qatarliving.com/node/5741686#ixzz29ZaR10DQ
Get out of Qatar or at least go into some type of hiding before they have you arrested and banned from the Country.
This type of thing happens to a lot of people. Luckily, you are American, so am I. But I WAS beaten down by twelve Al Fazaa because I intended to stay in the country for the duration of my work visa to undertake a legal fight to clear my name after wrongful termination. Then I was imprisoned with 1000 other working people at Al Sinaia immigration prison at the industrial exchange for almost ten days..
Good luck, get rid of your SIM and phone or at least pull the battery. Buy a prepaid burner and try to buy it from a second or third party. Get into your own accomodation somewhere away from the US or Western European Ex-Pats. They could come looking for you. You need to at the very least go off the radar to avoid the worst case scenario. Get legal representation and DO report the situation to the US Embassy so that they don't do sh it for you like they didn't do anything for me.
unless both parties agreed to the probation period of 3-6 months.
Here's the question: did you file a resignation letter/e-mail or you just stopped going to work and called them saying you quit.
Every where else you go, all must be documented to protect yourself.
you've signed a contract which might cause you in trouble and also the company welcomes you and gives you proper accommodation, they are very much eager to hire you because you're an asset to the company! working with unprofessional and disorganized company is a big deal but perhaps you are the answer to the problems. Unless the offer to the contract were not being implemented then you have the grounds to leave the company. Good luck!
I know I have to settle amicably - but last time I spoke to them, they're just not listening and being unreasonable .... I won't win the argument - so better, I guess, keep it pofessional (this is business issue anyways) - they should put everything in writing...
But thank you for your note :) Have a great weekend.
They cannot do anything if your not on their sponsorship but please be carefull never tell them which company you are going to work they can give you problem It's better to settle the problem in a good way..