The Shoura (Consultative) Council on Sunday approved the establishment of the National Commission for Atomic Energy that will be linked to the Council of Ministers. Its chairman will be appointed with the rank of minister. During its 39th ordinary session chaired by Dr. Bandar Al-Hajjar, Deputy Chairman, the Shoura Council also approved the draft regulation for domestic workers and others falling in that category after voting on all the 22 articles of the draft regulation. The salient features of the draft regulation include the right of a worker to get paid sick leave upon production of a medical report. When a worker escapes, this must be reported to the nearest police station that will approach the Passports Department to take necessary measures. Also, the labor office shall be informed on the matter to ensure the non-existence of a complaint filed by the worker against the employer or vice versa. The draft regulation states that the worker has the right to get a weekly day of rest on which the two sides would agree upon in the employment contract. The worker has the right to get a paid one-month annual leave if he has worked for two years and is willing to renew the contract for a similar period. The draft regulation mentions penalties for employers in case of violating the rules including a fine of SR2,000 or barring from recruitment for one year or both, and if the violation is repeated the employer must pay a minimum fine of SR2,000. The fine shall not exceed SR5,000. The employer will be barred from recruitment for three years or both penalties together. The worker violating the regulation will be punished by a fine of SR2,000 and he will be barred from working in the Kingdom. Article 18 states that the fines in this regulation would be deposited in a special bank account part of which will cover expenses for sheltering housemaids and deporting male and female domestic workers according to a mechanism that will be approved by the Minister of Labor. Article 19 of the regulation states that labor offices shall receive complaints and register violations by domestic workers and employers and these offices shall put the claims against both the employer and domestic worker or one of them before the committee. Article 20 states that according to a decision from the minister every labor office shall form a committee of three members to look into the financial claims arising between domestic workers and their employers and to look into the non-criminal violations of the regulation. The Council also approved by majority vote the National Executive Plan for Road Safety on the increasing number of traffic accidents. The plan studies easing traffic congestions, improving road infrastructures, upgrading traffic regulations as well as raising public awareness. The Council also reviewed the report proposed by the Committee for Health Affairs and Environment regarding the National Program for Protection against Radiation recommending that it be held for further discussions.
