They had gone to the booming East Asian country at different dates through half a dozen manpower agencies including Akarshan International, R.P. International and Classic Overseas to work at different manufacturing companies for three years.
“Applications for compensation by overseas workers who were laid off by their employer-companies have been coming in for the past one month,” said Guru Prasad Dhungana, a record-keeper at the Department of Foreign Employment (DoFE).
“However, the number of workers approaching us for compensation could be higher than what we have recorded as not all of the returnees have reported to us.”
In the first instance of lay-off of Nepali workers, 84 of them had returned on Jan. 22 from Malaysia as the Ever Green Heavy Equipment Industrial Corporation terminated their labor contracts, citing the financial crisis.
Of the total number of workers who applied for compensation at DoFE, 54 received compensations of Rs 25,000 each.
The government and the manpower agencies recently agreed to provide compensation jointly to workers who lose their jobs due to financial crisis in the destination countries.
As per the agreement, workers losing their jobs within six months of their appointment will get back 40 percent of the total service charges levied by the manpower agencies. Similarly, those rendered jobless within one year of employment will be compensated with 25 percent of the charges.
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