MAKKAH — The Labor Ministry has ordered an outlet in a shopping center in Makkah to pay female cashiers full compensation for the time they had been denied employment because of their gender. The cashiers had filed a case listing their grievances against the employer. The female cashiers were prevented from working at the request of a member of the Hai'a, as he felt this would lead to gender mingling. One of the females who spoke to the newspaper on condition of anonymity said that the hearing committee in the labor office had ordered the store's management to compensate the cashiers by paying them their salaries from the date of the termination until the date of the session besides issuing them an experience certificate indicating the training courses they had attended. The cashier added that she and her colleagues agreed among themselves to file a lawsuit against the Hai'a staffer who published their images with unflattering comments on the Internet claiming she knew his name and his workplace. She said she and her colleagues are determined more than ever to take him to court because he damaged their reputation by trying to embarrass them in a public forum. They intend to sue him for libel and defamation. Another cashier added, “It should be understood that our employment has caused us great social problems, starting from the barbaric attitude of the Hai'a staff who fabricated stories about our work. What compounded the problem was the irresponsible reaction by the Hai'a officials who refused to take action. Added to this was the inaction and submissive attitude shown by the store's management.” Another cashier said she was proud of her work experience, stressing that she had nothing to be ashamed of because she was earning her living honorably. She said the submissive attitude of the store management to the Hai'a led to all her colleagues being terminated from their jobs. She said most shopping centers faced great opposition and pressure from the Hai'a against employing females, but many businesses turn a deaf ear. — SG
