Saturday, August 6, 2011

Reflection: Recruitment agencies charge excessive fees

I just read another article that shoes the sad truth that agencies have never learned their lessons.  They keep on  scamming our compatriots just to make a quick buck and get rich quick, not thinking about their social responsibilities.

Recruitment agencies charge excessive fees
By


Charging excessive fees and misrepresentation topped the list of violations committed by various recruitment agencies in the country, according to data from the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA).

In the data provided to the OFW Journalism Consortium, the two violations stand out among the 147 types of infringements handled by POEA arbiters between 2006 and 2010.

Last year, misrepresentation topped the POEA violation list with 1,712 cases, while excessive charging had 1,208 cases.

The misrepresentation violation was the subject of 1,172 cases in 2006, 1,711 in 2007, 2,006 cases in 2008, and 2,515 cases in 2009.

Meanwhile, over-charging had 871 cases in 2006, 1,279 in 2007, 1,778 in 2008 and 1,870 in 2009.

Read more HERE.

When will they let it sink in their mind that getting one kababayan overseas means that this is displacing him not only from his country, but also from his family?  Yes, there might be financial gain, but then what about the social impact.

Recruitment agencies should have a longer outlook with regards to their actions.  They need to ask, will this job opportunity at help my kabayan not just on the short-term but even in the long-term aspect?

Congress should push for no-placement fee policy when it comes to recruitment.  If that would be put in place, then we will at least have won half the battle.

Meanwhile may I encourage our compatriot to only seek jobs at recruitment agencies that do not charge any placement fees or processing fees, like Staffhouse, IPAMs, and EDI-Staffbuilders International.  -KLP


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