Hotel Manager Wins Lawsuit, Awarded Over 38,000 Dinars in Back Pay and Damages

TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune - www.newsofbahrain.com   

The Labour Court has ruled in favour of a former hotel manager, awarding him over 38,000 dinars in back pay, compensation for wrongful termination, and deductions made during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The manager, who had been employed by the hotel since January 2019, was dismissed in October 2021 despite having a valid contract that was due to expire in January 2023. The court found that the hotel's termination of the contract was unjustified and lacked legal grounds.

The court's decision was based on several key factors, including the the hotel's decision to deduct a significant portion of the manager's salary during the pandemic, despite his continued attendance and performance.

The court deemed these deductions illegal as the hotel failed to provide sufficient legal justification. Moreover, the hotel's termination letter lacked a valid reason for dismissal and failed to provide a written warning, as required by law.

This led the court to conclude that the termination was wrongful and warranted compensation. The hotel had accused the manager of embezzlement, but the criminal court acquitted him of these charges. Furthermore, the labour court considered this acquittal as evidence that the hotel's accusations were baseless.

The court ordered the hotel to pay the manager 6,228 dinars for the period between July and October 2021, 7,060 dinars for the illegal deductions made during the pandemic, and 6% interest on the back pay, increasing by 1% for each month after the sixth month of delay, up to a maximum of 12%. The Court also ordered the hotel to pay 19,500 dinars for the remaining term of the contract, 1,850 dinars for notice period, 1,838 dinars for annual leave, 1,829 dinars for end-of-service gratuity, return ticket, end-of-service certificate, court fees, and lawyer's fees.