A Jamaican hairdresser who worked for 20 months without a holiday after moving to Bermuda has reported her former boss to the Department of Labour and Training.

Mother-of-two Denise Chambers-Clarke claims fellow Jamaican Adlia Davy, owner of Prestige Beauty Salon on Union Street, is withholding vacation pay owed to her since he fired her last August.

Mr. Davy said yesterday that he was still working out the amount he owed the 40-year-old hair stylist, because she worked on a percentage basis rather than a salary. "I'm working on that right now and she's going to get her pay," he said.

Mrs. Chambers-Clarke came to the Island in January 2007 and was sacked last August after an argument with Mr. Davy about her 15-year-old son spending time in the salon while here on vacation from Jamaica.

She told The Royal Gazette she was owed about $1,800 in vacation pay and for public holidays she worked while employed at Prestige.

She reported Mr. Davy to Government and has been given permission to stay on the Island until May 11 to look for another job.

Her husband Karl Clarke, a construction worker, arrived last July from Jamaica and the couple have been living on his salary since August, including sending money home for his two children and her son, who boards with a teacher.

Mrs. Chambers-Clarke, of Pembroke, said she spent about $1,000 on her flight here and another $890 on her work permit — though Mr. Davy insists he paid half of that.

"I'm tired of this nonsense," she said. "He is supposed to pay me for vacation and holidays but I have not received a cent.

"It's really hard. When I went to [the Department of] Labour and Training I was told he was to pay me for vacation and holidays.

"I worked there for a year and eight months and he fired me because he told me my son couldn't be in the shop.

"I asked him for a second chance but he said he'd rather buy a ticket to send me back home."

Mrs. Chambers-Clarke approached this newspaper after learning that a colleague who left Prestige recently received vacation pay.

"I have been waiting from August last year for the money — three weeks vacation pay and public holidays," she said. "I did everything in that shop.

"I saw a client on May 24, 2007 and on the holiday when Dame Lois Browne-Evans died."

She added she was worried Mr. Davy could send her home but was assured by a Department of Labour officer that he didn't have that power.

"To go back home now, I don't have a home or even furniture," she said. "When they [employers] want to kick people out of the Country, they are kicking people back to nothing.

"This was a chance to be somebody, to be able to work to buy a home."

Mr. Davy said he had discussed the matter with an officer from the Department of Labour and was preparing to pay the money.

"The girl is trying to make it look like I'm a bad employer," he said. "I sacked her because she swore at me. I gave her a chance to come back and apologise."

Labour and Immigration Minister David Burch said earlier this month that nine companies accused of abusing their foreign employees — including some hair salons — would be denied work permits unless they improved.

He claimed Jamaican employers with Bermudian status were the "greatest offenders" and were mistreating their fellow Jamaicans.

The Royal Gazette is unaware whether or not Prestige is one of the companies investigated by Sen. Burch.

No one from the Department of Labour could be reached yesterday.