Frustrated
So I genuinely need advice because I feel completely stuck.
I was working for a company in Bahrain from January until April on a fixed-term contract in a sales role. My performance was not amazing, I admit that, but I also don’t think 4 months is enough time to completely judge someone’s long-term capability. My numbers were improving month by month (6%, then 15%, then 22%), and I was actively trying to improve.
Eventually the company decided to terminate me and told me to serve my notice period from home while they paid me. Fine. I accepted it professionally.
The issue is this:
I managed to secure another job almost immediately with a finance institution. I passed interviews, got selected, and everything was moving forward. The only remaining step was a background/reference check.
During that reference check, my former employer apparently gave extremely negative feedback about me. Shortly after, the hiring process stopped completely.
Now I’m unemployed, my previous employer is still holding my passport, and they are delaying my settlement while also saying things related to visa transfer issues. I have bills piling up and honestly I feel trapped.
What frustrates me most is this:
If they already terminated me and no longer wanted me there, why actively sabotage my opportunity to move on somewhere else? Just because I didn’t succeed in THEIR environment does not automatically mean I would fail somewhere else.
Also, they initially pressured me to resign voluntarily, but I refused because the contract stated that if I resigned within 6 months, I would have to repay onboarding/training costs. I simply told them:
“I acknowledge my performance is below expectations, but I am actively improving and I do not agree that resigning is fair.”
At this point I’m considering filing a complaint with the Labour Market Regulatory Authority regarding:
- withholding my passport
- delaying my settlement
- possible damages since their actions affected my ability to secure employment
Has anyone dealt with something similar in Bahrain or GCC countries?
Do I realistically have a case, or should I just focus on moving on and finding another employer?