Navigating Reimbursements in Qatar: How Do Out-of-Pocket Expenses Work for HR?

Hi All,

I am presently working in Qatar as an HR Manager. I come from the US and am more accustomed to US labor laws and policies. Working in Qatar has been a challenge, to say the least. :)

One question I have is regarding the reimbursement of out-of-pocket expenses. I am being told by employees that in the Middle East, companies reimburse their employees for medicine costs, doctor's visits, etc. This reimbursement occurs after the insurance has paid its portion of the cost. In the US, the employee is typically responsible for any out-of-pocket costs. Can anyone advise on what the norm is in the Middle East?

Thank you, Donna

Norms for Out-of-Pocket Costs in the Middle East

There is no norm in the Middle East for out-of-pocket costs. It depends on the policies of the organizations.

Dear friend,

I am attaching a PDF copy of the Qatar Labour Law. I hope this may help you. Pocket reimbursements related to medical check-ups and illnesses are given by the company to the employees, except for illnesses/check-ups/treatments that are related to the influence of alcohol and drugs. Other reimbursements, such as mobile/telephone bills, food bills, and taxi bills, are according to the job offer/HR policy of your organization.

Hi Donna,

Although there is not necessarily a compulsory stipulation, all the big companies that I know provide a good insurance program that basically covers everything except for alcohol, drug, and sex-related diseases. So there is not much to be covered by the employee except for the registration fee, which usually does not get reimbursed.

There are cases where employees have to pay first and then reimburse from the insurance company, but it all depends on the agreement with the insurance companies.

Hope that helps. If not, please let me know as I am launching a website in Qatar for HR professionals soon and can bring your question further to the members within the website or discuss it at our launch meeting.

Regards,
Luke
00974 55862362

As a practice in our company, we provide reimbursements for medicines that are prescribed by a doctor from HAMAD or a private clinic included in our insurance list. The limitations are based on the insurance provider's manual. In Abu Dhabi, they can use their insurance card to pay for their medicines, but this is not the case here, so you have to reimburse it.

Hope this helps....