Third party must pay for hiring absconder in Dubai

Dubai: The Dubai Public Prosecution (DPP) has launched an initiative called A'awiddne [compensate me] that compensates sponsors if their absconding workers were hired by a third party.

A'awiddne was launched for better enforcement of the Residency Law and to pay Dh5,000 in compensation to sponsors, who lose a lot after their workers abscond, within a certain criterion, according to Senior Chief Prosecutor Ali Humaid Bin Khatem, Head of the Naturalisation and Residency Prosecution.

"We have decided to activate the Residency Law's article 34 that stipulates that a sponsor is entitled to collect a Dh5,000 in compensation.

"The compensation amount is collected from the Dh50,000 fine that is given by a third party who hires the main sponsor's absconding workers. However, the criterion upon which the sponsors are entitled to collect the compensation amount are that the Dh50,000 fine should have been paid to the court by the third party and that the sponsor should have reported to the authorities that his worker has absconded," Bin Khatem told Gulf News.

Dubai's Attorney General Essam Eisa Al Humaidan launched A'awiddne on Tuesday while visiting and touring the premises of the Naturalisation and Residency Prosecution in Al Aweer.

Al Humaidan said, "The main goal behind launching the initiative is to activate and implement article 34 of the Residency Law… this is believed to be a positive step that would eventually ease the financial burden of sponsors whose workers abscond and get hired by third parties."

The Head of Naturalisation and Residency Prosecution said they launched the initiative and reactivated the law ‘because many sponsors face financial burden when their workers abscond.

"We have decided to reach out to our clients and start helping them. A sponsor pays up for all the required fees to hire a worker. When the worker absconds and gets hired by a third party, then that represents a major loss for the sponsor. The sponsor would not benefit neither from the paid charges or the worker's efforts. Hence we have decided to enforce that article and pay the compensation amount. However that is doable whenever there is an absconding worker's police report and the fine [for hiring an illegal worker] has been paid. The Dh5,000 will be deducted from the fine," Bin Khatem said.

He said they have started to follow up on paid fines and absconding reports and whether fines have been paid. They will also contact concerned sponsors and inform them that they should go to prosecution to lodge a request to collect their compensation.