A company in Al-Khobar has dismissed 20 Saudi employees from work, the local media reported on Wednesday. The dismissed workers included engineers to painters and they told Al-Madinah newspaper that 11 of them had filed a complaint with the Labor Office. The company, however, justified the decision to dismiss the employees citing the bad financial situation and a lack of projects. The Labor Office in the Eastern Province confirmed receiving the complaint. Ali Nasser, one of the dismissed employees, said, "What happened to us is the latest move in the unfair dismissal episodes initiated by the company at the beginning of last Ramadan when it fired 8 Saudis. It dismissed us at the beginning of this Hijri year under the pretext of low oil prices and a lack of projects despite the fact that the foreign employees remained on the job." Ahmed Majid said, "The dismissal letter stated that the only reason behind the sacking is the lack of projects, although expatriates in the company are not affected and still continuing on their jobs." He said 11 dismissed Saudi employees filed a complaint against the company in November demanding full rights and compensation for unfair dismissal. He pointed that these employees have financial obligations such as house rents and bank loans to pay. Informed sources said the company that suspended the Saudi staff has several outstanding issues at the Labor Office. Al-Madinah newspaper communicated with the director of the media center at the Labor Office in the Eastern Province, Nada Munshi, who confirmed that she has the case but refused to give further details.
