A barber in Bahrain has emerged victorious in a labour case against his former employer, a women’s hair salon, after being unfairly dismissed for raising concerns about unpaid wages. The court’s decision favored the barber, directing the salon to compensate him with a total of 628 Bahraini dinars, encompassing back pay, damages for wrongful termination, and other entitlements.
The barber had been working at the salon since October 2023, receiving a meager monthly salary of 50 Bahraini dinars. Despite his efforts, the salon neglected to remit his wages. Subsequently, when he lodged a complaint regarding the non-payment, the salon took retaliatory action by dismissing him on April 14, 2024.
Representing the barber, Mariam Al Sakran presented the case before the labour court, invoking Bahrain’s Labour Law. Al Sakran highlighted a provision stipulating that an employer’s responsibility to settle wages remains unfulfilled until the employee acknowledges receipt of payment. She emphasized the salon’s failure to furnish any proof of payment throughout the barber’s tenure.
Adding to her argument, Al Sakran pointed to a specific clause in the Labour Law that grants employees the right to receive compensation upon unjustified termination of service. She contended that the barber’s dismissal stemmed directly from his complaint about unpaid wages, rendering the termination illegal.
Moreover, Al Sakran referenced another portion of the Labour Law mandating compensation equivalent to the wages for the remainder of the contract term if a fixed-term agreement is terminated without a valid reason. In this case, the barber’s contract spanned one year, commencing in October 2023.
The court’s verdict compelled the salon to reimburse the barber with 291.6 Bahraini dinars in outstanding wages along with accrued interest, 300 Bahraini dinars for unlawful dismissal, 50 Bahraini dinars in notice pay, 24 Bahraini dinars for accrued annual leave, and 14 Bahraini dinars as end-of-service gratuity. This decision signifies a win for labour rights and underlines the significance of upholding legal obligations in the workplace.
