Hiring workers can be a tedious process as it requires patience, time and money which can be risky, especially when employing foreign workers.
There is a range of factors that local employers need to consider apart from acquiring work permits, and relevant paperwork, among others.
One of them is the expenses or costs of sending employees back to their home country once they completed their work contract in Brunei.
Employers that are not able to financially support the repatriation process can cause neglect employees and overstay.
It is crucial for employers to think ahead and avoid any unwanted issues.
This can be resolved through Takaful Brunei’s Am Sdn Bhd (TBA) ‘Takaful Guarantee for Foreign Workers’. This takaful product aims to cover the payment of the repatriation expenses should employers fail to send their workers back to their home country.
Employers must provide a security deposit for the employment of foreign workers as stipulated by Labour Department under its regulations Rules 6 of the Labour (Immigrant Workers’ Employment Licenses) Rules, Labour Act (Cap 93) and Section 112 of the Employment Order, 2009.
The charges are subjected to the department’s approval which includes payment for daily subsistence, accommodation and medical expenses as required by the department.
Takaful Guarantee for Foreign Workers acts as an alternative to cash deposits and financial institutions’ guarantee to Labour Department for the employment of foreign workers.
Paying a security deposit can be burdening to some employers and Takaful Guarantee for Foreign Workers helps to lessen the load and allows companies to pay the takaful contribution only based on employees’ country of origin.
It can also be used for payment of unpaid salaries that employers cannot afford to settle in cases of disputes or upon instruction from the department.
The Takaful Guarantee for Foreign Workers coverage depends on the validity of Work Pass or Special Approval of an additional six months as approved by Labour Department.
In addition, by having this takaful protection scheme, employers will have more cash flow to run their business, thanks to the small contribution.
It also gives employers peace of mind as there is no cash collateral required by TBA for participating in this coverage in comparison to having a banker’s guarantee.
For more information regarding this takaful coverage, interested employers can contact TBA Call Centre at 224 4000 or visit their counters in Beribi, Delima, Mail Processing Centre (MPC) at Old Airport, Labour Department, Tutong Land Transport Department, Kuala Belait and Seria Post Office.
THE BRUNEIAN | BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN
