Data protection information
In accordance with the QFC Data Protection Regulations available at http://www.complinet.com/qfcra/display/display.html?rbid=1557&element_id=, we wish to inform you that the Employment Standards Office will hold your personal and sensitive data collected in relation to your complaint in manual and in electronic format.
The principal purpose of requesting, holding and processing this information is the processing of your complaint.
Disclosure of any of this information to statutory bodies such as the Ministries, Tribunals or other third parties will take place only if required by Law and Regulations and in accordance with their requirements.
We will request your explicit consent to disclose this information to a different third party for any other reason and you will have the right to object to such disclosure or use.
As Data Subjects, you have the right to access your personal data held by the Employment Standards Office, to correct it if necessary, to review and delete your own records and object to the processing at any time and on reasonable grounds, in accordance with the QFC Data Protection Regulation and Rules in force.
The Data Controller responsible for this purpose is the QFC Authority and the Data Processor is the Employment Standards Office.
We kindly ask you to read the full version of the Data Protection Regulation before giving your free, specific and informed consent.
Please also be informed that your potential refusal to provide us with the “Specific and informed consent” will cause the impossibility for us to process your complaint.
Complaint submission guidance
Preamble
There are two alternative routes to exercise the rights under the QFC Employment Regulations (the "Regulations") and report a contravention of such Regulations:
- the judicial route before the Civil Court at the Qatar International Court and Dispute Resolution Centre (QICDRC) or
- the administrative route, before the Employment Standards Office of the QFC. In case of dissatisfaction with the determinations of the Employment Standards Office, the determination can be appealed at the Regulatory Tribunal of the QICDRC.
Please note that once one of the above routes is chosen and the proceeding is completed, the alternative route is no longer available.
In accordance with Part 12 of the QFC Employment Regulations (the "Regulations") a complaint related to alleged contraventions of the Regulations can be submitted to the Employment Standards Office. The entire proceeding is free of charge.
The following information will guide you through the complaint process.
1. Before submission
Who can file a complaint?
QFC employees, former employees or other persons including employers can file a complaint before the Employment Standards Office to report a contravention of QFC Employment Regulations.
Which matters can the Employment Standards Office investigate?
The Employment Standards Office can investigate contraventions of QFC Employment Regulations and cannot accept anonymous complaints.
In which cases may the Employment Standards Office refuse to accept a complaint?
The Employment Standards Office may refuse to accept, review, mediate, investigate or otherwise resolve a complaint or may stop or postpone any such activity if:
The QFC Employment Regulations do not apply to the complaint;
The complaint is frivolous, trivial or is not made in good faith;
There is not enough evidence to prove the complaint;
The Employment Standards Office, the Civil and Commercial Court or the Regulatory Tribunal has previously made a decision or an order relating to the subject matter of the complaint;
The complainant has not taken the requisite steps specified by the ESO to facilitate resolution or investigation of the complaint, or
The dispute that caused the complaint is resolved.
2. How to fill a complaint form
A complaint filed with the Employment Standards Office must be in writing and contain the following:
name, address and telephone number of the complainant and the complainant’s representative (if any);
name, address and telephone number (if known) of the respondent;
details of the complaint including a concise statement of the relevant matters or alleged violation, the remedies sought by the complainant and list of documents attached to the complaint (if any);
the relationship between the complainant and the respondent;
the signature of the complainant; and
the date on which the complaint is filed.
During the course of the investigation the Employment Standards Office staff may contact you if additional information is required.
It is important to collect all relevant documents and attach them to the complaint to allow the Employment Standards Office to conduct the investigation in a timely manner.
Employment Standards Office
QFC Tower 1
8th Floor
Sun-Thu from 7,30am to 3,30pm
Should you wish to submit the compliant via email, please sign the form and send a scanned copy to eso@qfc.qa
3. After submission
Assessment and Investigation of the Employment Standards Office
After receipt of the complaint the Employment Standards Office will conduct a preliminary assessment of the documents, evidences or grounds on which it is based; it may request further information and documents if deemed appropriate. If the Employment Standards Office accepts the complaint, it may exercise its investigative powers to determine the sequence of the proceeding.
Determination of the Employment Standards Office
At any stage of the proceeding the ESO may discuss with the parties to explore the possibility to settle the dispute. If parties will not reach an agreement, the ESO will proceed with the investigation and make the determination giving both parties time for oral and written submissions before the determination is made. Copy of the determination is notified to both parties to their address for service.
If you need assistance in completing the complaint form, please contact the Employment Standards Office at 44967617 or send an email to eso@qfc.qa
I acknowledge that I have read the above instructions and confirm my intention to proceed with the administrative route to resolve my complaint.