Companies taking no risks and repatriating staff from Gulf region
In the media image: Ben Welch on Unsplash
Dutch companies are repatriating employees from the Middle East because of rising tensions in that area. Several legal experts, including Professor of Labour Law Yvonne Erkens, comment in the FD newspaper that this is the responsibility of employers in such situations.
Dutch companies including Shell, Boskalis and TenneT have voluntarily repatriated non-essential staff and their families since the outbreak of the conflict in the Middle East. The evacuations are often supported by specialised parties and are prompted by the deteriorating security situation in the region. Exact numbers remain unknown, but companies emphasise that the safety of their employees is paramount.
Erkens explains that the repatriation of these employees stems from the employers' duty to ensure a safe working environment. 'Regulations on working conditions state that employers must provide a safe working environment.' Although there is no explicit obligation to repatriate staff, a negative travel advice from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs may play a role when the decision to repatriate or not to repatriate should be made. Erkens warns that employers may be at risk. 'There is no legal obligation to repatriate, but if an employee suffers damage in the performance of their job, they can hold their employer liable for this.' In doing so, the professor underlines that intervention is inevitable as soon as safety is demonstrably at risk.
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Read the full article in FD (€, in Dutch)