Saudi tribunals to rule on domestic workers rows
Referral is made to courts if amicable settlement becomes unattainable
Cairo: Starting from Thursday, the labour courts in Saudi Arabia also have the jurisdiction to rule on disputes linked to domestic workers, the country’s Ministry of Human Resources has said.
Accordingly, those wishing to file lawsuits related to domestic labour disputes will first have to apply through the ministry website via its service “Filing a Domestic Worker Case”.
Still, the ministry continues to undertake its task of seeking reconciliation and an out-of-court settlement to the row.
Should the settlement between the parties to the dispute prove unattainable, a referral would then be made to the labour courts to decide on the case.
The ministry said the new arrangement aims to organise the roles of government agencies and distribute them according to jurisdiction. In other words, reaching an amicable settlement is assigned to the Ministry of Human Resources, while hearing judicial cases and passing rulings on them is the work of the labour courts.
Domestic workers in Saudi Arabia include housekeepers, drivers, housemaids, cleaners, cooks, guards, farmers, live-in nurses, tutors and nannies.
Saudi Arabia, a country of 32.2 million, is home to a large community of expatriate workers.
A mechanism has been introduced in the kingdom to reach friendly settlements to disputes that may break out between the employee and the employer to ensure stable relationship between the contractual parties.
Efforts to reach an amicable settlement mark the first phase in handling suits on labour disputes during which mediation endeavours are made to bring views of the parties involved closer in a bid to reach a compromise acceptable to both sides.
If not, the suit is referred to a labour court within the 21 days of the first settlement session.
In 2018, new labour courts were introduced in Saudi Arabia to ensure fast-track litigation and delivery of justice as part of massive reforms in the country.