Sydney, Australia, where the Iraqi diplomat was based. Photo: Wikimedia Commons/Raminus Falcon
Sydney, Australia, where the Iraqi diplomat was based. Photo: Wikimedia Commons/Raminus Falcon

An Iraqi diplomat in Sydney, Australia, was ordered to pay US$20,000 to her Filipino domestic worker after deducting money from her salary and kicking her out of their house.

In January 2015, Anwar Alesi, the Consul-General of Iraq in Australia, hired Juliet Buenaobra, a Filipino domestic worker. Buenaobra said she was promised a salary of US$1,750 a month, but was only paid as little as US$800, news.com.au reported.

According to Buenaobra, money from her salary was deducted every month for rent of US$800, despite not having a private bedroom, US$125 for medical insurance that was not given and US$250 for amenities that consisted only of shampoo.

In November 2017, Alesi fired Buenaobra after she complained that her employment rights were not being met. Buenaobra said she was locked out of Alesi’s house and was unable to work for another employer.

Buenaobra was taken in by the family of a friend she met at her church and remained in Australia to claim her unpaid salary through the Fair Work Commission. On Monday, Alesi was ordered to pay Buenaobra US$20,000, the equivalent of 26 weeks of unpaid wages.

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