Majed Al-Mufadhali Okaz/Saudi Gazette MAKKAH – The Ministry of Labor is negotiating conditions for labor recruitment with 10 countries after a moratorium was imposed on hiring from Ethiopia, according to sources. The countries with which negotiations are underway are from South and Southeast Asia, as well as Africa. The Ministry of Labor and its Indonesian counterpart are expected to agree on a new recruitment policy early next month. The Saudi ministry had previously expressed reservations about conditions in the current setup. Agreements with Vietnam, India and the Philippines are all expected to be signed within the next three months, said the sources. Recruitment from Ethiopia was banned after a number of irregularities were noted, such as forgery and unreported illnesses, as well as gruesome crimes committed by some Ethiopian domestic helpers. The moratorium on recruitment from Ethiopia will be in place for one year after which a decision will be taken to resume recruitment or halt it permanently. The Ministry of Labor reiterated that failure to carry out the proper procedures for recruitment by any country will put its recruitment program in jeopardy. Saad Al-Baddah, chairman of the National Committee for Recruitment, said that the recruitment agreements signed with foreign authorities are binding, and thus will be beneficial. Countries that fail to follow the agreements will see their recruitment programs suspended, Al-Baddah confirmed. On Tuesday, Minister of Labor Adel Fakieh announced new rules to protect the rights of foreign domestic helpers, but stressed they must “respect” Islam and “obey” their employers. Fakieh said the new rules require employers to pay workers the agreed monthly salary without delay, and give them a day off each week. Employers are also required to provide domestic helpers with suitable accommodations, as well as granting them time to rest for at least nine hours each day. Under the new guidelines, workers are entitled to paid sick leave and a one-month paid vacation after putting in two years of work as well as end of service compensation equal to one month salary after four years, he said. But employees must respect Islam and its teachings... and obey the orders of the employers and their family members concerning getting the agreed work done. A domestic helper cannot reject a work or leave a job without a valid reason. Around eight million foreign workers are employed in the Kingdom.
