+7 (777) 001 44 99
Қазақша
Русский
English
Tengrinews.kz – Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Labour and Social Protection has said it is monitoring a public controversy around Burger King Kazakhstan after a family alleged pressure on an employee with autism. The ministry noted that one manager has been temporarily suspended while an internal inquiry is underway.
According to the ministry, a state labour inspector in Almaty visited the home of Alibek Karatay, the employee at the center of the case. Officials said Karatay’s father was contacted by phone and informed about how to file a formal complaint and what protections are provided under Kazakhstan’s labour legislation.
“Based on information received from the employer (QSR LLP – Burger King), an internal investigation is being conducted, and a decision has been made to temporarily suspend one of the managers for the duration of the review,” the ministry said.
The ministry did not disclose further details about the scope of the inquiry or how long it may take, adding that additional information would be provided later.
What sparked the controversy
The discussion gained momentum on social media after a Threads post by Zhanat Karatay, who said her son, had worked at Burger King for four years. She wrote that he had been steadily employed, received regular pay, felt comfortable in the team, worked overtime, planned vacations and transferred between branches.
The posts triggered widespread online debate, with some commenters calling for the dismissal of those involved, demanding that local staff be appointed to leadership roles, and urging that the situation be reported to the company’s head office.
Burger King Kazakhstan’s response
Burger King Kazakhstan initially commented under the post, referring to the worker as a former employee and saying it regretted the family’s emotional response, while stressing the company’s commitment to equal opportunity and inclusion.
Later, the company issued a separate statement saying the young man had not been dismissed and remains an employee, adding that no decision to terminate his contract had been made.
According to Burger King Kazakhstan, on January 29 the employee informed HR of his intention to take leave and then stopped coming to work. The company said it did not receive an official written leave request from him.
The company also stated that on February 6 the employee’s mother submitted a resignation letter signed in her name. Burger King Kazakhstan said it had offered options to resolve the situation, including transferring the employee to another restaurant, and confirmed an internal review was underway.
