Khalf Al-Harbi Okaz newspaper IN a few months, the newly-formed mega recruitment companies will start providing their services to citizens who wish to employ maids and drivers. This means that small private recruitment offices will vanish overnight. As much as citizens will welcome the closure of these dodgy employment companies, their closure will also mean that families will no longer be able to force domestic workers to work round the clock. The new recruitment companies will be duty-bound to ensure everyone adheres to the labor law. This includes providing medical coverage and termination of a contract and providing a replacement in the case of a disagreement between worker and employer. Mega recruitment companies will also require families to provide a financial guarantee of their ability to pay the salaries of domestic workers, thus, nonpayment of wages will become a thing of the past. To aid a smooth transition, I strongly believe that these mega-recruitment companies need to create a special department for reconciliation. This will ensure all disputes are settled quickly and efficiently - rather than dragging on for many weeks and months. While the theory sounds great, what remains to be seen is the reality when rubber meets the road. What concerns most families is the higher prices they will have to pay for what are essentially promises made by the new recruitment companies. Citizens are asking if it's fair that they have to pay such high premiums if the standards of performance do not measure up? Moreover if they enjoy an almost monopoly-like hold on the market will the companies feel compelled to go the extra mile in pursuit of customer satisfaction? All of these questions highlight the need for a well-defined law to regulate this new market. Otherwise it will be the Consumer Protection Society which will be working overtime as they will be inundated with complaints from families and laborers alike!
