The Minister of Labor and Social Development Dr. Ali bin Nasser Al-Ghafis has approved 13 cases pertaining to the transfer of services of male or female house workers and the like from his/her employer to another, noting that the measures aim at regulating the labor market through giving chance for house workers or the like to transfer their services to another sponsor unless he/she is not the cause behind the transfer. The new measures shall improve and accelerate the services that directly affect the attractiveness of labor market to house workers. It also stipulates that a house worker or the like shall have the right to transfer his/her sponsorship if it was verified that the sponsor failed to pay a three consecutive or separate month's salary without the involvement of the laborer, or he failed to receive a housemaid at her first arrival at the inlet post, or did not show up to receive her at the temporary accommodation house for 15 days from her arrival in the Kingdom, or failed to issue her a work permit license or failed to renew it for 30 days, starting the date of its issuance or renewal. Also a foreign laborer could transfer his/her sponsorship if the sponsor leases the service of the laborer to another without the knowledge of the laborer or assigns her to work at the expense of non-relatives or do hazardous work that threatens her/his health or safety. Male and female workers shall also have the right to quit their sponsors if it was proved that they are mistreated or if her/his lawsuit before the justice against the sponsor is prolonged without action being taken, provided that the laborer is not involved in the delay of ruling. Also, if the employer has filed a false complaint that his employee was absent from work or he or his representative failed to show up at the court for two sessions or because of his absence for travel or prison or death, resulting in the delay of three successive months payment or any individual cases to be approved by the minister, the sponsorship could be transferred. The decision also stipulates that the new employer to whom the service is transferred will have the right to offer a maximum 15 day paid probationary period for the laborer, whereas he shall pay the government-prescribed fees for the transfer service, including the SR150-per-day cost of her stay at the government accommodation house.
