By Joseph Varghese/Staff Reporter
Ahlibank will soon launch a new payroll card for customers who earn up to QR6,000 a month, a senior bank
official has said.
Andrew McKechnie, deputy chief executive officer at Ahlibank, said the card can be used at all ATMs and point-of-sale terminals, displaying the Visa logo, within Qatar and overseas.
McKechnie was speaking at a seminar, hosted yesterday for both customers and non-customers of the bank, to familiarise them with the new Wage Protection
System (WPS).
More than 200 people, representing several employers participated in the event. There were also representatives from the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (MoLSA) and Qatar Central Bank (QCB).
McKechnie said customers can withdraw their salaries, which are loaded via the WPS, with their payroll cards. The cardholders will not be charged for using Ahlibank ATMs and can also access a dedicated payroll card contact centre, he added.
He said more than 850 employers have registered with the bank and more than 20,000 transactions have been completed and processed so far. There has been a standardisation in the whole process, which has helped in the operation and processing of funds, he added.
The Ahlibank official said people who are currently paid through an overseas bank account must have an account with a bank in Qatar, in accordance with the WPS norms.
“The new WPS regulations are designed to ensure that employees are paid in a timely manner. As per the new norms of WPS, all employees who are paid through an overseas bank must open an account with any of the banks in Qatar,” said McKechnie.
The official said the new system creates a safe and stable working environment for the employer while ensuring financial entitlements for the workers.
“It promotes the principle of human rights in Qatar. It also reduces any legal disputes between the parties and assists the Supreme Judicial Council in settlement resolutions related to worker rights. This spares the workers the need to keep amounts of cash against potential loss. It also ensures that wages are paid in a timely manner that is monitored by QCB and MoLSA,” he added.