http://www.arabnews.com/?page=1§ion=0&article=68402&d=14&m=8&y=2005
Sunday, 14, August, 2005 (09, Rajab, 1426)
Workers Unaware of Labor Laws Robbed of Time, Cash by
Bosses
Razan Baker & Manal Quota, Arab News
JEDDAH, 14 August 2005 - Many Saudis and expatriates
employed in various jobs are unaware of their legal rights in the Kingdom,
making it easy for unscrupulous employers to delay wage payments, deny overtime
and arbitrarily dismiss workers.
According to the Ministry of Labor's standard terms of
employment, a contract is required between any employer and employee. All the
terms of employment are supposed to be clearly stated and agreed upon by both
parties, each of whom is to be given a copy of the document. If a change
occurs, the contract needs to be amended and agreed upon by both parties.
Foreigners who have to find other employment after
their arrival face the pressure of losing their residency permits, so they tend
to sign contracts without reading all the terms. They also receive no
orientation about their rights before starting. A Filipino laborer at a local
restaurant is one of many who do not receive payment for overtime work. "I work
for hours after my shift is over, and I get no money for this," he said.
During prayer time breaks, non-Muslim employees have a
right to take rest. However, employees at this restaurant are forced to
continue work after the doors are closed. That extra work is considered
overtime, but again, employees are not paid for it.
According to Saudi Labor Law, employees who work
overtime must be paid 150 percent of the regular wage. Some companies give
their employees the option of taking days off instead of overtime pay.
Many employers abuse vulnerable positions of their
employees, especially foreigners, by just not paying them in a timely fashion.
"I can't complain if I'm not getting paid for my
overtime work," said the Filipino. "My company doesn't listen to what I say."
Overtime pay is not the only area of employee rights
being abused. Working for some employers means forfeiting the rights to take
time off or travel to visit their families - or even to be sick.
"I have worked here for more than two years and still
haven't had a vacation," said the Filipino. By right foreign employees are
entitled to a minimum of 15 days vacation annually. Unfortunately, not every
employee receives this right.
The Labor Law also states that a contract cannot be
terminated without notifying the employee at least 30 days in advance.
A 23-year-old Saudi female teacher who preferred not to
be named spoke with Arab News about her experience at one of the ESL centers in
Jeddah. On arriving at work one day the teacher was told she was fired. She
said she wasn't given any advance notice.
"It was quite unexpected," she said. "I don't know why
they fired me. They told me they didn't need me anymore. Their only excuse was
that I was dressed improperly. I come from a conservative family, and this was
insulting."
Employees working in hospitals, shopping centers and
private businesses want information about their rights. Whether an employee
works for a month or many years, he or she has the right to learn about their
privileges and the regulations. Farha Sulaiman, a Saudi employee who has been
working for two years at an ESL center, is one of many who are interested in
learning more about their rights. She did not know such information was
available to her.
Although many workers are ignorant about these rights,
copies of the labor law are available in Arabic at major bookstores, such as
Jarir and Tihama. An English version of the book "Labor and Workmen Law" is
available through the Ministry of Labor.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
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