RIYADH — The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development (MHRSD) achieved a reconciliation rate of 73 percent in labor disputes during the year 2022 through its Wudi system. Speaking to Okaz/Saudi Gazette, sources at the ministry said that the system has been instrumental in reducing the average duration of the labor dispute cases from 40 days to five working days. The sources said that the ministry works through the Department of Amicable Settlement to try to resolve issues amicably, in a way protecting the rights of both parties to the contractual relationship. The ministry pays great attention to settling disputes between the two parties and ensuring stabilizing their relationship on the one hand, ending labor issues in all establishments on the other hand, and providing a healthy work environment for all workers and employers. Labor offices across the Kingdom will have a period of 21 days to amicably settle labor disputes, according to a new mechanism announced by the Ministry of Justice earlier. If no settlement is reached in 21 days, then labor offices should electronically submit the case to labor courts. The MHRSD stated that the amicable settlement is the first stage of considering labor dispute claims filed electronically. Under the system, an attempt is made to bring closer points of view, and mediation is conducted to reach an amicable solution that satisfies both parties if possible, or the case will be referred to the labor court within 21 working days from the date of the first session. The ministry also made the friendly settlement services fully automatic through its official website, including the service of submitting the case electronically, and reviewing the formalization of the case. The system enables the plaintiff and the defendant to view the details of the case before the date of the session. It also allows holding remote reconciliation sessions, which are characterized by high governance and the absence of any human interference in fixing appointments. The ministry aims to continuously develop and enhance the level of amicable settlement services and the skills of employees dealing with settlement through the provision of continuous training. It implemented six intensive and specialized training programs at the Institute of Public Administration, and also implemented five intensive training programs in cooperation with the Judicial Training Center at the Ministry of Justice and eight specialized internal training programs at the training center under the ministry.
