Riad Dar Anika: a beautiful spot in Marrakech that hides the suffering of Moroccan workers

Riad Dar Anika is one of the numerous beautiful, historical riads— traditional Moroccan homes built around an open interior— in Marrakech, the cultural capital of Morocco. It is currently marketed as a luxury boutique hotel, catering to Marrakech’s lucrative tourist-driven economy. Behind its pleasing façade and positive online reviews, however, the tourists who frequent this riad remain unaware of its tenuous work environment. Cases of harassment, illegal termination of employment, and numerous other instances of labor injustices plague employees. Many of the employees have opted to pursue legal action against the owners in an effort to seek justice.

For example, several former employees stated that they were asked to work up to 18 hours a day for 50 Moroccan dirhams per day, or the equivalent of roughly 5 USD. This calculates to less than 30 cents per hour, which is less than the mandated Moroccan minimum wage.

This is just one example of many cases of workers being denied their rights at Riad Dar Anika.