Gov’t probing payment practices of some private businesses

The Ministry of Social Protection has launched an investigation into the payment practices of some private businesses following reports of several security companies underpaying their employees, the Department of Public Information (DPI) has reported.

The Department quoted Amna Ally, Minister of Social Protection, as saying that “the government will not allow employees to punish at the hands of their employers.”

“My Ministry has always and will continue take this matter very seriously. As a matter of fact, at the moment a few of the companies are being investigated, and they have to pay the staff their monies or we will take them to court, and we will blacklist them, so they will not be given contracts for those purposes,” she stated.

She explained that in many instances, the government would deliver payments to agencies contracted by the government, and by law, the employees should receive the hourly stipulated wage of $255.

“There is a minimum wage, and some local companies do not pay them, this does not occur. The monies are not trickled down to the hard-working workers,” Ally stated.

Minister Ally said her ministry hosted seminars, conducted onsite visits, inspected company records, and investigated complaints, all in an effort to end the unlawful practices.

“Some adhere, while some give a deaf ear to it, but we have had improvements in that respect,” she concluded.