Thursday, August 26, 2010

Domestic workers get nod for Jordan jobs

Rasika SOMARATHNA

The Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE) yesterday said they would now allow local recruitment agents to send migrant domestic workers to Jordan as the Jordanian officials had agreed to pay the minimum stipulated salary of US $ 200 per month.

SLBFE Acting General Manager L K Ruhunuge said that the Bureau had been notified regarding a compromise in this regard between the embassy and Jordanian recruiters.

The SLBFE earlier temporarily halted sending Sri Lankan domestic workers to Jordan citing the non-payment of the minimum wage of US $ 200 set by authorities for all workers leaving the country for employment on foreign soil. Ruhunuge said an earlier request by the Jordanian recruiters for the minimum salary to be made US $ 175 had been refused.

It is reported that Sri Lankan domestic workers were only paid a minimum salary of US $ 150 contrary to the minimum wage of US $ 200 imposed by the SLBFE.

An agreement between the relevant parties which pledge to ensure employers pay $ 200 monthly salaries in full and as stipulated in the workers' contracts is to be signed shortly.

It is reported that recent bans implemented by Indonesia and Sri Lanka preventing agents from sending domestic helpers to Jordan have negatively impacted the sector as recruitment agencies have suffered financial losses.

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