Employees lament unpaid salaries, appointment termination

• Company blames it on low sales

Disengaged employees of Flora Homes Global Consult Limited have accused the company’s management of unpaid salaries and alleged termination of their appointments. Their disengagement followed a letter that contained the company’s decision to relieve them from their various duties. 

A memo, dated 28th of February stated, “we write to inform you of the company’s decision to terminate your appointment effective from the date of the letter.“Your outstanding salaries for the four months of November and December 2019 as well as January and February 2020 shall be paid into your registered bank account with us in due course. You are advised to vacate the lodge premises as it will be locked up on Saturday, 29th of February 2020. As such you are expected to surrender the company’s belongings in your possession.”
 
The disengaged workers, who pleaded anonymity told The Guardian that a follow-up email was later sent charging them that from 3rd of March, the sum of N1,000 would be chraged daily and deducted when the company finally pays from those that refused to vacate the premises.
 
When The Guardian contacted the company, an Executive Director, Mrs. Kifaya Adeniyi, explained that low turnout of sales was the reason for their termination.She said they are about to employ new workers, urging those disengaged to vacate the premises to allow new staff to be employed. She said:  “Before now, we fed the staff three times a day and lodged them in an apartment close to the office to save them from daily struggle. When we realised we were unable to cater for their individual financial responsibilities as we hadn’t paid, we told them to seek extra income through any other legitimate means they can lay hands on outside our company.”
 
According to Adeniyi, when the firm observed the suggestion would not benefit every worker, they decided to terminate the appointment to avoid incurring extra debts and to allow them seek other opportunities to meet up with their financial responsibilities.
 
“Without these former staff leaving the lodge, we can’t invite other marketers to come. The fee is to encourage them to go.

“We owe them money, there is no denying that, it is their due. We just need to separate this from the apartment issue. The apartment cost money of its own and it’s meant to accommodate only current staffs. Anyone whom we’ve terminated agreement with will pay rental on it,” she said.