I have been getting regular complaints from Americans working for LOGCAP contractors in Kuwait. The complaints are primarily about DynCorp, but Combat Service Associates are getting their fair share.
Let ‘s start with DynCorp. DynCorp has been sucking up former KBR managers faster than they can be convicted. At this stage of the game I find it interesting that any company would be picking up any manager from a LOGCAP contractor that has so many civil suits, criminal convictions, ongoing criminal investigations, countless DoD investigations and who knows how many Congressional investigations. Who would want to bring that negative management style into their company. Although DynCorp is not new to management issues, at least what I saw and heard about when I was in the Green Zone from 2004-2006. DynCorp had a badging contract I believe for the Department of State (DoS) and one of their badging officers was selling/giving away DoS Badges evidently so people could use the DFAC and pool at the Republican Palace also known at that time as the US Embassy. Hmmm what’s the security issue there?
Here is a comment I received from a concerned DynCorp employee.
I have to tell you I made a big mistake in crossing over with DynCorp. There are several issue we have to deal with on daily basis. One, there are several employees that have not gotten paid for several weeks or months including myself. Dyncorp is a month behind in paying perdiems to employees that have no DFAC or means of getting any food. We all have to use our own money for most of everything even thought it says on the LOA’s that food is covered. Well that is if you do have a LOA.
Did you know that for a week or more there were a lot of employees that put 12hours
on their time sheet and stayed home because there CAT (CAC perhaps) Cards were not active even
thought they are not being scanned in at the ECP’s gate to get in. Just about everyone CAT Card is inactive after June 12 2009 the end of Task Order 147. There are a few that I know of that do not even have a CAT Card at all and is working on
the base and site.As far the Bus drivers they are TCN’s and they are driving with expired or no Identification at all, some employee are forced to rent there own car’s or pay for taxi to get to and from work. In most cases we are working over time and told that we cannot put this on our time sheet because Dyncorp does not recognize overtime unless approved. Supervisor and Foreman’s are making changes and corrections to employee’s time sheet without there knowledge after they have been signed and turned in.
Some employees are allowed to Hit, Threatened and Disrespect there fellow coworkers and nothing is being done about it. Victimized employees in most cases are too afraid to come forward and when they do they are threaten with termination or they get fired.
In most cases “Looks Like The Same KBR All Over Again”.
Here is a comment I received from a CSA employee.
CSA, Ltd. in Kuwait has nothing on KBR, you have employees that drive company vehicles with no Kuwait Driver’s License, change employee timesheets, and come to work on and go to college online everyday. She stills has a job. Now, CSA needs to be investigated, also.
The camp in question is KNB and the department MWR. The supervisor there goes home sick, but does not put sick leave down. The manager has committed timesheet fraud on various occasions and I have exact dates. they tell you that they need you to work OT, but when timesheet turn in comes around, they cross out the hours and put your initials down, without you knowing abut it until pay day comes around. U cant go to ER because the ER person is friends with the manager and supervisor.
What is going on with this changing of time sheets after that have been signed and submitted? What in the hell is this signing someone else’s initials? That timesheet is a legal document. Any lawyers in the house?
Here are my “recommendations”:
1. Use the reporting system in place even if it doesn’t work. Such as local Human/Employee Relations departments. Document…Document….Document. Use email only. This way if it ever goes to court, and it sounds like it will, you have a record. If someone responds to your email with a phone call or a face-to-face conversation, summarize the conversation in an email and send it to that person. I’d stat it something like this: “To follow-up with out recent (type of) conversation on (date) at (time) I just want to make sure I understand you correctly.” And then summarize the conversation. Ask them to resspond to the email if there are any corrections to your summary.
2. Contact the Ethic Hotline via email. Document…Document….Document.
DynCorp Ethics Hotline is: hotline@dyn-intl.com
CSA Ethics Hotline is not listed on their website. If you have that information send it to me so I can update.
3. Contact the DoD Inspector General. Even if it doesn’t get investigated immediately, the call gets logged. Maybe your call combined with other peoples calls paints a bigger picture for the DoD. I recently did a post on how to contact the DoD IG click HERE for that.
If my readers will send me Ethics Hotline information for their LOGCAP companies I will do a post of just that contact information.
If I were a betting person…..I would guess that CSA and DynCorp are knee deep in former KBR managers. This just sounds like same shit different company. And the DoD is letting it happen. And to top it all off those brilliant Generals that lead the DoD (and the LOGCAP contractors) are actually expecting a different result.
I guess I’m never going to run out of things to blog about.
Ms Sparky
ER is looking into comments that are posted to this website, Michele Espina aka Mary Jean Busgano who works CSA Military Travel and is a phillipine national, has been using an alias in Kuwait while working for CSA for a number of years. She is trying to get her name changed back to her name in the Philippines, by hiring CSA’s civilian attorney in Kuwait, Ernest Alexander.
FYI;
For every new hire who gets certified, CSA receives $160,000 from the government. They will do all they can to keep you here until you pass the certification. Afterwards, they don’t care.
I was lured here to get a secret clearance. I viewed it as a part of the employment package. After several weeks of being here, CSA claimed it would process the clearance, but there have been people here for more than two years who have not received theirs yet.
While working in the last month, I observed many policy violations (laptop use, phone use, sleeping, etc.) all in one day. As of right now, I don’t plan to do anything about it for I have a family to house and feed.
During training, the speed of the search was stressed. It appeared that speed was more important than the quality of the search. I have observed personnel “going through the motions” while searching vehicles.
Lastly, the only reason the ratings have been good to excellent is because when the “CSA quality control team” and the military quality control team are conducting their tests, the CSA personnel searching have a heads up as to when they are coming through hours in advance.
Most of the people here are in it for the money. Most of them (including myself) aren’t in a position to jeopardize their job because the money is good enough for what the job asks. What I despise is the culture of laziness that is promoted by some of the leadership, the constant, repeated threats of being suspended or fired and their “good old boy system” that favors African-Americans.
Any creditable evidence to support your claims? Far as your problem with the “Culture of Laziness”…maybe you should stay focused on supporting your family and doing you. I wouldn’t say no one was out to get you, but I would say there is no such thing as the “good old boy system” in Kuwait. Everyone here is out to save their own azzes. More like…every man/woman for themselves.
ATLien4Life -Whose glasses are you wearing? There is so much crap going on at CSA, a Titan-sized Neanderthal with a pea-sized eye in the middle of his forehead can SEE the “Lazy”, good-for-nothing “Good ol boys” and “Gang-like” MASON mentalities who wear that tacky MASOUD RING and flash it around like a whore flashes her ba-jungas at a bachelor party! Wake up, open your eyes, and get off your knees…because unless you are an F.O.L. (Friend of Levy’s) then you are going to be doing ALL of the work for those lazy idiots that they call shift Sergeants! (That is, if you haven’t already been screwed over, yet hahaha)
CSA,LTD…
Common
Sense is
Absent
or
LimiTeD….
Ms Sparky’s Resposne:
That’s funny!!
gents:
i just got email from CSA couple days ago for open position in kuwait, whats your guys suggestion, i never heard about this company
and basically what is the average salary?
thanks
The salaries are REALLY LOW. I just talked to a recruiter and the salary for Force Protection Officer starts at 14.93 per hour and taxes are held out of that. Doesn’t seem like much pay for such a dangerous job, but just my opinion. Good Luck.
RUUUUUNNNNNN!!!!
The average salary is 30% below all other contractors salaries. Your FALA is 100 KD less then all other contractors. Living quarters are good. Transportation not bad, management sucks! This wage disparity includes workers at McDonald’s! No just kidding, Burger King actually!
I was hoping you would chime in!! Thanks
i have asked them, whats my monthly salary will be they never told me anything about it and just keep sending me email to fill out forms to hire. how can i get a job and dont know the salary?
i just want to know the average: 3000$-4000$ 5000$ approximately if anyone from you guys kknow
thanks!
I worked there until just before they started deductig for FICA/Medicare.(7.5%) My “bank” was $2200 every 2 weeks with another $450 in FALA deposited to your Kuwaiti bank account every 2 weeks as well, so call it $2650-$2700 minus &.5% every 2 weeks. You will always work six days a week, the figures they give you for the contract are based on a 5 day week. You will earn every penny and then some. The turnover is horrendous for a reason. HTH.
Thanks for that info!
So Ms Sparky, should this retired 58 year old retired Marine take the job with CSA as an FPO and expect I will get paid in a timely manner and in the amount stated by CSA? Thank you all for your time. Also, what is the comment about good ol boy and Afro-Americans. Are most the CSA employees Afro-Americans?
If you take the job be prepared for constant threats of suspension or write-up. Yes, there is a culture of laziness because the immediate supervisors are young, and do not correct their “friends” when they are wrong. An answer to your last question is yes. There is a large disparity between the number of blacks and whites in security.
8 out of 10 hired are African American.
Ms Sparky,
Hope you got the pictures I sent to and the captions for each one, I also sent them to CSA Management
Yes. I got them. They are interesting to say the least. I have a few questions I need clarify. I think those might need to go straight to the Department of Justice. This holiday weekend has me tied up. Shoot me an email first of the week.
Do you mind giving Puller58 some advice on reporting CSA activities. It’s on the CSA Raping the US Taxpayer post. http://mssparky.com/2009/10/combat-support-associates-csa-raping-the-american-taxpayer-from-kuwait/
No problem Sparky, it’s my civil duty.
Can anyone tell me about CSA ? I’m Compairing different companies that have security/police type jobs. How is CSA salary, living coditions, etc compaired to Dyn? I will be talking with a recruiter in a few days. Your help is greatly appreciated
As for security people, the apts. are generally nice to live in with everything furnished…(except this one place where they pay for the fuel to run their stoves). One or two roommates is the norm. As far as salary, work is five days a week now, and bobofthedesert explains it well.
What is FALA pay? Does everyone with CSA get this pay? Is the FALA pay the same for all positions or just certain positions?
If I am not mistaken it means Food And Living Allowance. Any CSA employees want to chime in on that?
Thanks for the info. Does this mean that I would have to pay for my apt and meals since CSA is paying FALA ? It would be nice to chat or email someone that works for CSA to get an idea of the cost, expenses and salary for FPO (Force Protection Officer). Any info can be e-mailed to me at ablawdog@yahoo.com or posted on this forum.
Thanks for everyone’s help.
FALA= Foreign Assisted Living Allowance
BTW all contracts do not receive this. My company removed it approx four years ago. I have been in contracting since 2005.
FALA is Foreign Assistance Living Allowance is paid direct to CSA employees from the Kuwait government. Almost every Filipino lady in Kuwait knows when all contractors get their bi-weekly FALA. Then you get hit up by them for a few KD to send home for medication for the sick pig or milk for the kids or grandma medication or some outragous reason to “BORROW” some OR ALL of your FALA. So, FALA you will hear is sometimes referred to as “FALAPINO”! On the day it is deposited into your account it is called, you guessed it “FALAPINO DAY”!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
FALA stands for foreign area living allowance. All Westerners (typically classified as personnel from North America or Europe)receive FALA. FALA is uniform no matter your position.
All Filippinos are also considered Westerners whether or not they are married to the Americans.
Filipinos are NOT considered western hire employees they are “local hires.” They are paid 65% of the western salary because they live on the local economy. They provide their own apartments, transportation and food. They do receive a bi-weekly FALA like all western employees do! Just look at their badges, it is “red bordered” and not white like a western hire, this is CSA policy and contract policy!
Correction “local hires” DO NOT receive FALA.
Well there is a certain manager whos Filipino wife also working with CSA IS getting FALA along with salary.
No you dont have to pay for your apt. Foreign Area Living Allowance just gives you money to buy food or whatever you want to do with it. You can eat in the DFAC for like 3 bucks all you eat.
Thanks for correcting me!
whistleblower, thanks for the response about the FALA. CSA web site indicates you don’t take your agility test until you get to Kuwait. IF this is true then what happens if you don’t pass. Does CSA pay for your trip back home or are you just SOL. Also, are CSA salaries lower than DYN, KBR.
If you don’t pass the agility test, then that is their reason to get rid of you. Of course, after you fulfill your 90 days!! All monies incurred by the company will become part of your last check deductions.
FALA is basically a 10 Kuwait Dinar per diem that every western hire gets every 2 weeks. Third country nationalist employees do not get this
Hey Carltheman,
I also applied for FPO. If you don’t mind me asking, what salary did they say you will start at. You can email me if your not comfortable posting salary on this forum. Would really like to ask you about some other things since you just went through CSA process. My email is ablawdog@yahoo.com
One thing to look at on your pay stub is the ‘other taxes’. the company doesn’t come out and tell you what it is you have to find out yourself. turns out to be California state tax and insurance according to payroll. they say it’s for unemployment purposes. the trouble with that is – if you are not a California resident you can’t fill for unemployment.
another thing. the instructions (or post orders) for a position are very vague – i.e. arms room guard is to guard arms room and do surveillance on the area of responsibility. problem here: there is nothing in writing that tells you what the area of responsibility entails. you have to ask the leadership – you would be surprised at all the different answers you get. I believe that csa does this so they can make up reasons to fire you. this way they don’t have to pay you the end of contract bonus. and they are finding more ways to fire people. with in the few months that i have been here there has been over 200 people that quit or was fired and i heard there is about 50 more leaving within the next 30 days.
I know of a few foreign nationals that work for CSA that receive and/or send mail through the U.S. postal services on military bases because they have permanent residency in the U.S. I can name names if needed but wont post the names on this website. alot of foreigners and TCN employees receive and/or send mail through the postal services on base which is illegal.
Hey Ms Sparky, et al. There is an article titled “ON BEING AN OVERSEAS ARMS CONTRACTOR”, in the January 2010 issue of SOF Magazine. It would be comic, if it wasn’t so true.
It’s by subscription. Soldier of Fortune is not one of the mags that I subscribe to!! I can’s read the article!
I really feel badly for those employees at CSA. If things are not bad enough there, they no longer have quality representation. A friend of mine there said some corporate goon (AECOM I guess)from HR pretty much destroyed the entire ER dept. She said the two most experienced reps, including the manager, recently bolted in short order; guess they got their fill of the dysfunctional executive leadership, leaving only two lesser qualified reps to cover camps in the N and S. Good luck with that Mr. AECOM. She said maybe Mr. Do Nothing(?) who handles fraud cases for CSA in Kuwait will step up and really start working instead of just being at work; that is, when he’s not on vacation.
Is it true that CSA is losing the Security Contract this coming summer (2010)?
The contract extension CSA currently has with the USG expires Mar 31, 2010; this includes the security services.
Just so we can set the record straigh CSA is not a LOGCAP contractor. They have a contract with US Government for base opearating services at the US Bases in Kuwait.
It is not subject too or the same as the LOGCAP contracts.
That is correct. On that we agree.
By the way, I have filed a whistleblower complaint against Combat Support Associates and CSA, LTD. with a major DC Law firm as my representative. I have to say not only are they ethically challenged – they don’t have any ethics at all. It may take years but I can’t wait to see those crooks go to jail.
Mr. Turner, I see your finally showing your true colors. It seems that by threatening to blow up half of Kuwait and then admitting it on YouTube and to Alwatan? Ethically challenged just doesn’t seem to cover it.(The genetic lottery must have bypassed this brain-child).
If CSA is going to jail, you are definitely going to beat them there. Below, courtesy of the Kuwait media, are links to the now “infamous” Orlando Turner.
http://www.alwatandaily.com/articleviews.aspx?id=70723&cat=1
http://www.kuwaittimes.net/read_news.php?newsid=MzA4MzI5NzM=
http://www.q8nri.com/home/2010/03/02/orlando-turners-lawyer-says-client-was-suicidal/
There are more, these are just from March 2, 2010.
Anyone looking to file that class action suit will probably have to look elsewhere, seems Mr. Turner will be tied up (no pun intended) for the next few years.
Sail, so what. That wasn’t Sandrat’s question.
YES, on April 1, KBOSSS will take over. The leases for the apartments will run 3 years, so guess they plan on being around awhile. Great site by the way, sure alot of people have a beef with CSA and amazingly 99% of what I read is true.
Glad to have a job,
Are you saying that the KBOSSS contract has been awarded already to CSA? or is this speculation
What is KBOSSS?
Its the Kuwait Base Operations and Security Support Services Contract.
The contract has not yet been awarded.
Thank you DCAA. It never ceases to amaze me how so many people know what the USG does before they actually do it!
To Whistleblower:
Are you allowed to say who the attorney is that you hired? I have a claim with an agency in CA as well that has been ongoing. I am at the point now, I will be needing an attorney. I was thinking an attorney familiar with CSA might be a good idea.
If Ms. Sparky can give you my email address that wouldn’t be a problem.
I would love the name of that law firm too.
Thanks,
Is the lawsuit going to happen? Because I would like to join. I have been trying for nearly a year but have’nt had any luck. I even made a complaint to the AG at the DOD, and he said there wasn’t enough to go on. But I think he just did’nt want to look into what I had explained. Can some body give me a lead on an attorney who is or has dealt with CSAltd. I broke my back at the t-12 and t-9, because the driver of our car was going 90mph-100mph in a sand storm.Does any CSAltd employee remember this. It happened on 14 May 2009, on the highway almost to the camp Arifjan exit. No other vehicles were involved. Just going way,way to fast with only 100ft max of visibility! My career as an electrician is over because of this injury, and the driver who caused it still works for CSAltd making good money and no penalty!
You are welcome Ray
The proposals for the KBOSS were due the end of Nov. Based on the complexity of the procurement it appears that CSA may receive an addition extension of one or two months. According to Rock Island the anticipated award date for the KBOSS is some time in late April or May at this point.
CSA is out!! Hopefully much sooner than people expect, and a true security firm. Audits and inventories are happening daily.
I meant a security firm with years of service and managers who follow policy.
UPDATE:
CSA is now down to one, uno, ER Rep. Yep, the latest departing rep who covered the northern camps turned in her notice. My friend said she heard some managers up north didn’t think she was worth much to begin with but hey, she was a body with a pie hole, right? That leaves one, uno, ER Rep to serve over 8000 employees. Thank you very much Mr. AECOM corporate HR dude. Who has pictures of you with a goat? You keep this up and that manager at CSA who does the fraud investigations will be hard pressed to take those vacations every time he gets some Kuwait sand in his shorts. God forbid, he might really have to start investigating cases and doing some factfinding. I must say, you serve the company well Mr. AECOM; very unfortunate its at the expense of those employees WHO ACTUALLY WORK FOR THE COMPANY! I can see it all now. Every manager in their respective departments now becomes their own ER department. Oh dear God, have mercy on those employees. Keep praying March 31 is the real end date for CSA.
Heard that they got extended until June 30. If anybody wants to start on a class action lawsuit, I prolly can make it happen
The class action lawsuit is in regards too? If the lawsuit is in regards to not receiving hazardous duty pay, being paid 30% less then contract negotiated salaries and being charged for fuel then count me in!
If you have an attorney lined up and want me to post something about it let me know.
I have one lined up, but folks have to have legitimate claims. I can be reached at (edited)@yahoo.com. I am returning to Kuwait on Sunday, so I can things started.
You are going to get super spammed if you publish your email here. If you want I can work up a post for you. Shoot me an email and tell me what you want in it.
I say let Whistleblower post his personal email. At the very least he deserves to be “super spammed”
Some light reading on Orlando Turner, aka: Whistleblower, Landed, TimeToComeClean (and a few others)
Enjoy!
Below, courtesy of the Kuwait media, are links to the now “infamous” Orlando Turner.
http://www.alwatandaily.com/articleviews.aspx?id=70723&cat=1
http://www.kuwaittimes.net/read_news.php?newsid=MzA4MzI5NzM=
http://www.q8nri.com/home/2010/03/02/orlando-turners-lawyer-says-client-was-suicidal/
Please correct me if I’m wrong, but I’m certain a lawsuit can’t be filed from Federal Prison.
I will agree…not the brightest crayon in the box. As far as user ID’s go, I am not going to disclose that even if he is a nut case.
Fair enough
Does anyone have info on mail clerk’s position with KBR. Is it a good company, good job, etc ? I’m going through the hiring process with KBR right now. Thanks
For Class Action Suit information for CSA employees click HERE
http://mssparky.com/2010/01/combat-support-associate-csa-employees-seek-class-action-in-kuwait/
I was terminated by CSA in 2007 after I was injured on the job, I filed a lawsuit in Kuwait against Al Ahlea Circle Cleaning Company, and CSA for wrongful Termination, they would have probably gotton away with this however I had a letter from the Ministry of Health saying I had sick leave for 1 month, and I got lawyer to take the case for free,,,,, I am still in Kuwait…
My advice to you, accept the job with CSA and when you arrive in Kuwait, immedietly send your Resume to all other contracting companies…. 7 out of the 12 people I came to kuwait with now work for other companies….. Good luck and stay away from the flips
Many class action lawsuit or potential lawsuits are spoke of here-but where are the contacts for these groups-
It appears they are spoken of but no concrete direction to where to align other than CSA we found today.Companies through out the region beyond CSA and KBR.
Burn Pit,CSA,Overtime,Hazard duty pay issues but no place for persons to add there name and information to assist in these actions.
When will DCMA wake up to DynCorp’s procurement procedures in Kuwait?
Almost all materials are bought from trading companies, not directly from a supplier. Almost every purchase includes a vendor substitution for the product requested by the end-user. The prices paid are sky-high.
The trading companies are profiting from this. Who else might be?
I have seen many positions that were filled by true Westerners become vacant. They are then filled by “local hire” Filippinos. They are referred to as Westerners on our work schedule and whenever mentioned outside work schedule. That is whether or not they are married to an American. This whole practice is a disgrace. I could say more, but I’ve seen some denial. Some people have their head in the sand.
Does anyone know what CSA’s contract end date is? Also, Who has been awarded the new contract?
CSA’s contract has been extened until 30 June 2010. The KBOSS contract has not yet been awarded.
YOU GUYS ARE FREAKIN ME OUT… I ABOUT TO GO TO KUWAIT CSA AND SOUNDS LIKE A NIGHTMARE…HOPE ITS JUST SOUR GRAPES…. I AM AN ELECTRICIAN IS ALL THE JOBS LIKE THIS
Look the bottom line is this. CSA will pay you a lot of money to come here and work. Yes they are a large organization, and they face problems because of it. It’s difficult to really screen out the bad eggs.
There are companies that pay out more, but they usually work far more hours. I have seen many “unhappy” employees leave CSA only to come back a few months later.
That is not true…there is no coming back to CSA ONCE YOU LEAVE! COMPANY POLICY.
1Marine: You should get your facts straight. Incorrect information is abundant without the help of ignorant people. There have been many people who have left contract, the right way, and have been re-hired by CSA. It is NOT company policy to ban former employees, but there is a catch, you have to leave in good standing, ie: give sufficient notice, make sure all your accounts are in order and properly out-process.
Now, if you were terminated, that’s a different story altogether.
Thinking about going to Kuwait with CSA…my concern…there was something said about passport retention. How long is your passport held for? You know, just in case it’s awful and I want to bail.
They kept mine for 4 months.
It’s normally back to you in about a month, but they can usually get it back to you sooner, if you absolutely have to have it. That being said, there are some issues with the Kuwaiti immigration system. They just drafted a new labor law for expatriate workers here in Kuwait. So the wait could be a bit longer.
Keep in mind that if you bail early you will have to pay some penalties. It’s really not that bad. I have been here 4 years now. The weather is brutal and the attitude of the locals can really wear on you, but it’s so worth it every other Friday. Just be smart and save your money, and you will be fine.
Actually CSA holds all passports for 90 days, This is so the individual(s) new hires wont leave and the US Army will pay $160,000 to CSA for a new-hire after 90 days. SO after 90 days you can leave if you want to and CSA is the one to benefit.
CSA will email you a paper visa prior to coming to Kuwait. This is a Business visa valid for 1 month. Once you arrive CSA will then have the mandoob for Al Ahlea Circle Cleaning Co. (The Sponsor) for CSA transfer the business visa into an Article 18A or 18B work visa valid for 1 year. This process takes 1 HOUR. However CSA will lead you to believe (under false pretences) it takes 90 days.
If you come to Kuwait to work for CSA, you should demand to have the work permit receipt between Al Ahlea Circle Cleaning Co. and the Shoon or Ministry of Labor & Social Affairs. This Green paper will state your salary that Al Ahlea pays you direct into a bank account. Its around 800KD monthly. However you will never see this money unless you sue CSA and Al Ahlea.
Also I would advise you the new-hire to contact a lawyer in Kuwait to review your contract between you CSA & CSA Ltd, as you will be required to sign both contracts.
Also its your right to ask for a contract between you and Al Ahlea Cirle Cleaning Co. since they will be your sponsor. CSA WILL NOT BE YOUR SPONSOR IN KUWAIT which limits their liability for you thus making it easier to cheat you.
KNOW YOUR RIGHTS BEFORE COMING TO KUWAIT
If you have any questions feel free to contact me anytime… wmaousley@yahoo.com
I would say that if you have actual knowledge of them holding passports to keep people in the country (and it sounds like you do), you must report it to the IG. That falls under human trafficking and is very illegal. I believe KBR got fined a huge sum of money for a similar practice.
I know my passport was not held for that length of time, but that was years ago. I know there is also a huge change in the Kuwaiti labor law, that is causing longer delays in getting visas.
Does anyone know if CSA will be following the new labor law that gives employees 10 days of sick leave up from 6 last year?
wmaousley,
Do you actually believe what you ar saying??? even with the screwed up goverment that we now have why would the USG pay $160000.00 per person if they only last a little over 90 days? If your work permit says 800kd that is your monthly base pay excluding FALA. Al Ahlea does not pay yopur salary they are only the sponsor. Passports are not held for 90 days, as you said know your rights Kuwait labor law states that once the visa and/or civil ID is processed the sponsor (not CSA) has 24 hours after your request to have the passport back to you. Maybe you should know What is right before you try to advise others about their rights. Its not the company that gives CSA a bad name its the shit house lawyers like yourself that does
I can personally state that CSA held my passport for 128 days – long after I had received my medical card, permanent drivers license and oh by the way 91 days after my V18 was issued as dated in my passport. They did the same with the other 3 expats in my department that started the same week I did.
Oh and I did report them for it.
I currently work for CSA and yes they do keep your passport for 90 days. It is kept that long to make it more of an inconvenience to leave before the 90 day mark. after 90 days CSA gets paid the full years amount of money for the security officer from the government. i just saw my passport recently with completed visa inside of it. it was then taken by a CSA employee where it will be kept until after 90 days.
That is against the law!!
That is against the law!! Where in the hell is the DoD?
I can personnally state that CSA kept my passport for 128 days. Long after I had received my permanent medical card, permanent drivers license and 91 days after my V18 was issued as dated in my passport. I requested it back multiple times as I was due an R&R that I could not take because I had not passport. They then told me that they had LOST it and I would have to apply for a new one.
Amazingly enough after I contacted the US Emabssy – my passport was returned to me within the week.
BTW – the Army does not pay them $160,000 per employee. The real story is that the Government will not reimburse CSA the agreed to $1,600 in MOB costs – including airline tickets for anyone who does not remain on the contract for 90 days. Smiliar to the LCIV contractor having to refund MOB costs for anyone who does not stay on the contract
H-26 For
employees who have deployed less than 179 days, the contractor may rotate personnel at his own expense,
Let me appoligise for the multiple posts on my passport being held – puter had a brain drain.
Who did you report the long delay of processing your passport to? If it was Host Nations forget it. It has to be reported to the Kuwait Mininistry. It takes less than 15 minutes to file a complaint of this type. KRH (CSA Eastern employee sponsor) used to hold the Eastern employees passports until they had to pay a large fine to the ministry. It was one of my employees that filed the complaint. Alot of good info is put out on the kuwait.gov websites
Actually – I pitched my fit to Steve J. and Bill S. since as a Sr. Manager I worked directly for them – with little effect.
However, being related to the IG of the Army did help with the State Department at the Embassy.
Obviously, I am no longer with CSA. And I thank my lucky stars everyday.
I currently work for CSA and can say that i am very upset with the company i now work for. I was told over the phone by a recruiter i would be getting a security clearance. Now in country i am being told i will not get one. a clearance was one of the main reasons i took this job, so that i could move on to bigger and better companys. I find it scary that we are armed guards on a u.s. military installation and we dont have a clearance. Apparently the clearance is in my contract but i wouldnt know because we weren’t given the time or allowed to fully read our contracts. I requested a copy of my contract and have not seen it yet. we are given a 30 minute lunch per 16 hrs away from home.(12 hr shift + travel time to and from work)but that 30 minutes includes travel to and from the px or chow hall, then creating a 15 minute lunch. is there any sort of labor law that states this is illegal???? all of the managers and sgt’s are the least qualified and most un-professional people here, yet the buddy system carried them to the top? my passpot has my resident visa in it(and is being held by a csa employee. but they wont give it back until the 90 days are past so they can get thier money from the government. A very senior manager holding one of the highest positions in csa was asked by a very close friend of mine. “If csa gets paid the full years money for an employee after 90 days, then we can fire that employee after 90 days, hire a new employee and get paid for two while only employing one person???” the manager replied with “haha,…it is what it is”. The verbal abuse here is outrageous as well as the threats of write ups and termination for anyone who pushes the isssue or asks questions about these things. I am a veteran of the u.s. infantry as well as a great employee and have seen some horrible things in my life but i cant believe what im seeing at CSA. Can anyone refer me to a good lawyer in kuwait who can help me? PLEASE HELP!!!!
There is a little confussion here about what CSA is paid for after 90 days. It is not your full years salary. This is a cost reimburseable contract and is paid based on actual time billed.
What CSA is paid for after 90 days is your Mobilization Costs approximately $1600.
I suspect that the reason you will now not be receiving your security clearance is that there is not enough time left of the contract for it to be processed – additionally the company most likely does not want to pay the processing costs since they are going to be non-existent once this contract is over – the JV is being disolved and CSA did not bid for the follow-on work. Additionally, since you will most likely not be exposed to classified information – your position does not require a clearance. The real truth is that they don’t want you to be a ‘Runner’ – the companies term for people who get their passports back and head straight for the airport.
I suspect that their current excuse for holding you passport is that they are waiting on your Kuwaiti Drivers License or your Medical Certificate. This is bull – you can complain to the State Department regarding your passport being kept. That is what I had to do to get my passport back after 120+ days.
Most security personnel actually work as dual employees of CSA, Inc – the US Company and CSA, LTD. the Cayman Islands Company.
I really doubt that a Kuwaiti Lawyer will be able to help you – if they could there would have been a long line of other employees in front of you over the last 10 years – but that simply has not happened.
The company has an Expat trunover rate of nearly 60% – that should tell you something.
Be forwarned however, if you leave before your contract is up – even if you pay for your own ticket home – the company will withhold any pay and fala due to cover the costs of your mobilization and processing.
The company only has a maximum of 5 more months on the contract – if you can hold out that long – then you may be in good shape to be hired by the follow on contractor.
Unless you leave “the smart way” as I did. I put in for vacation, got all my pay due me for the hours I put in before I left….and got vacation pay. Received all my FALA and cleared that out from an ATM here in Texas. Last day of vacation I sent them my email resignation.
I feel for any of you still working for CSA….and especially for those of you working for those idiots at Camp Buehring. I consider myself lucky in that I spent most of my duty time working in the armory. CSA will continue violating work ethics. There is no way to get around it until they finaly lose the contract.
Charles Younglove aka Chuck Younglove and Carolyn Helms have been fired from CSA for security violations. They were in cohorts with Nahid Gharbis a Lebanon national for KMOD badges. Did Paul McKay finally get some balls to fire these two, apparently he did.
FYI Fawaz, McKay’s involvement was only for show. Those two should have been kissed off long ago. Didn’t happen until internal auditing stepped in and made the case against them. Final outcome–no brainer!
I heard they are getting ready to award the KBOSS contract soon. I believe they are in final talks with the apparent winner to make sure the i’s are dotted and the T’s are crossed.
The CSA security operation is totally rotten now. Abuses come from all angles. All they care about is to look good for the auditors and “smile while you get it!” No security checks for new recruits? The thugs keep coming in and find they can exercise their beliefs– without repercussions.
The company is still here. With no rumors of turnover. The apple has gotten more rotten to the core. Unbelievable!! Without security checks, the company keeps hiring thugs. Their attitudes have truly permeated everything.
Can someone please answer this question. I have a misdemeanor on my record, will the minitry of kuwait deny when they see this? This matter happened over 7yrs ago, and I havent been in any trouble since. I was also granted a clearance
Thanks