KUCHING: Sarawakians seeking work outside the state should first fully understand the terms and conditions of the workplace and the contracts that they sign through their employment agents.
The word of caution comes from a 24-year-old Sarawakian now working in a neighbouring country and who is in a dilemma being bound to a contract he had signed.
He said it was best for those wishing to work outside the state, to first carefully check the background of employment agents there as they had signed a contract with local agents.
Aaron Lau from Foo Chow Road here said he regretted that he took for granted in not fully investigating to understand the conditions of his place of employment and the background of his agent.
According to what he now understood, usually employment agencies here would have their own contracts signed with job agents overseas, and that the contract would then be given for applicants to sign here.
“So I only know my agent here and do not know who my agent there is, (and hence) I just signed the contract given to me by my agent here,” said Lau, explaining his situation further.
“I applied to work as a security guard in a hotel there through a local employment agency in Kuching. However, I was told that to work as security guard, I can only start in three months from the date I applied because they need to process certain matters.
“So I was told I will be given another job first while waiting for the security guard post. But I was not aware what job I will be given and where I will work. I just know that my accommodation will be included. I just took for granted that everything will be perfect,” he told The Borneo Post from overseas yesterday.
He said only on arrival at his job destination, did he find out he was to work as a housekeeping staff in a low budget hotel on a $1,000 salary.
Since his employment went through an agent, his salary was deducted $500 every month as fee to his oversea agent for a period of five months, and to his surprise, another $200 was also deducted for accommodation. That left him with very little salary to send home.
He said he wanted to resign from the current post but was bound to the contract to work at least six months with the current employer and that his passport was kept by his agent.
He said if he were to resign now, he has to pay a penalty fee of $1,000 to the agent.
“Although I do feel cheated by all the confusing terms and conditions in the contracts I signed, it is not right to say that I am being cheated because everything was done through legal and proper process.
“All I am saying is, we just cannot simply take things for granted that everything will be perfect when we apply through agents,” he said, adding he had been working overseas for two months now.
Lau said it was better for job-seekers not to go through employment agents because at the end of the day, it would not be worthwhile as their salary would be deducted for various fees.