New Saudi rules ensure rights, safety of foreign household workers

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia approved last week a new set of regulations that would ensure the rights and safety of Filipino and other migrant househould service workers (HSWs) there.

Under Resolution No. 310 or the Household Regulation on Service Workers and Similar Categories, the employer is barred from imposing work on the HSW unless the work has been agreed upon, and provided the work does not substantially differ from the original work.

The employer is also barred from imposing any dangerous work that threatens the health, safety and human dignity of the HSW.

“I am very much pleased that Saudi Arabia has issued its new regulations on the employment of foreign HSWs pursuant to the Agreement that Saudi Arabia Labor Minister Engineer Adel Bin Mohammed Fakeih and I signed on 19 May this year in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia,” said Philippine Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz on Thursday in welcoming Saudi's move.

“This Agreement, which followed after Saudi Arabia and the Philippines agreed on a Standard Employment Contract which shall govern the employment in Saudi Arabia of HSWs, will certainly boost the protection for our HSWs and enhance their welfare,” she added.

The new rules also ordered employers to pay the household worker the agreed salary at the end of every month, noting that the payment as well as the benefits should be in cash or cheque to be documented in writing.

The employer is also mandated to:

• provide appropriate accommodation to the HSW.
• provide HSW opportunity to enjoy a daily rest of at least nine hours a day;  
• personally attend or send a representative to answer complaint, if any, of the HSW; and
• not ‘rent out’ the HSW.

 
Other benefits of the HSW under the regulations are a weekly rest day; one month leave after two years of service; paid sick leave of not more than 30 days; health care according to the rules and regulations of Saudi Arabia; and end-of-service benefits equivalent to one-month salary after four years.
 
Baldoz, however, warned that the regulations also carry stiff penalties for both employers and HSWs who violate them.
 
Employers who violated the regulations will  be fined 2,000 Saudi riyals and prevented from recruiting HSWs, while HSWs shall be fined 2,000 Saudi riyals and prevented from working in the Kingdom.
 
The new regulations also detailed their employers and their employees’ rights and obligations.

The regulations highlight the rights and obligations of HSWs as follows:

• render the work agreed upon and do her best in the performance of her work;
• follow orders of the employer and family members relating to the performance of her work;
• take care of the employer’s property;
• not harm the family members, children, and the elderly;
• keep secrets of the employers, family members, and people living in or visiting the employer’s house;
• not refuse work or leave the service without legitimate reason;
• not affect the dignity of the employer and family members and not interfere in their affairs; and
• respect the Islamic religion and observe Saudi regulations applied in Saudi Arabia; customs and traditions of the Saudi society; and not engage in any activity disadvantageous to the family.

Saudi Arabia is home to thousands of Filipino domestic workers. According to the Commission on Filipinos Overseas' Stock Estimate of Overseas Filipinos, there were 1,530,218 legal Filipino workers in Saudi as of 2011. — KBK, GMA News