Ask Gulf News: Can your employer make you leave staff accommodation after terminating your contract?

Question: I have been terminated from my job, and my employer has asked me to vacate the accommodation he provided to me during my employment. He has also refused to reimburse me for the furniture delivery costs that he had agreed to pay under the employment contract. Am I entitled to remain in the accommodation until he pays these costs? Please advise. 

Answer: As a general rule, the employer may provide the worker with proper accommodation, or may pay to him an accommodation allowance in cash or including it in the wage. However, the employee does not have an indefinite right to remain in accommodation provided by the employer after the termination of the employment relationship, as the accommodation is generally provided in connection with the employment and thus the employee is required  to vacate within 30 days from the end of service unless otherwise agreed with the employer.; According to Article (16 /10) of the labor law, the employee must “ Evacuate the accommodation provided by the employer, within a period not exceeding (30) thirty days from the date of end of his service. However, the worker may stay in the accommodation after the end of the said period, in case of the employer’s approval, and the worker shall bear the cost of stay or as agreed upon in writing with the employer;”

On the other hand, the employer must pay to you all the amounts agreed upon in the contract including the furniture delivery costs. In case he refused to pay, the employee may file a complaint before the Labour Office to claim such costs on the grounds that the labor contract constitutes the law governing the contracting parties and shall be performed in accordance with its contents and in a manner consistent with the requirements of good faith.