In an interview with the Saudi Gazette, Minister of Labor Mufrij Al-Haqbani recently confirmed that expatriates are now free to transfer sponsorships should their sponsors delay their earnings for three months or more.
According to Al-Haqbani, the ministry has repeatedly received reports against employers who are delaying salary payments. This, of course, was a direct result of opening a video calling service since October of last year.
“We have activated the video call service which enables employees and workers to directly reach me,” Al-Haqbani said. “We have implemented the service in Jeddah, Rafhaa and Al-Dwadmi. The service is a part of the ministry’s plan to facilitate the interaction between employees and the ministry.”
Needless to say, the new video call system has been getting praises for making things much easier.
Al-Haqbani further explained “Callers can reach the minister or other officials in the ministry by calling customer service at 19911. Employers and employees no longer need to visit the main Labor Office in Riyadh to have their inquiries answered and paperwork processed.”
As of present time, 60 labor offices in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia are offering video calling services so they can be reached faster by the general public.
READ ALSO: KSA MINISTRY OF LABOR ANNOUNCES NEW REGULATIONS FOR WORKER PROTECTION
Al-Haqbani emphasized that delaying employee salaries is a direct violation of the Labor Law in Saudi.
“Workers have the right to transfer their sponsorship if their sponsors delay their salaries for three months,” Al-Haqbani stressed. “The workers do not need the permission of the sponsor in such cases and can sue the sponsor for delaying the salary.”
He also warned sponsors that they will be obligated to pay the salary with compensation if the employee or worker files a formal complaint at a court.
“The ministry prioritizes the rights of the employees. The ministry is focusing its efforts on making more electronic services available. The move to a more digitalized ministry will improve the economy of the Kingdom and will expedite its development,” Al-Haqbani concluded.