The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development announced the launch of an initiative to improve the contractual relationship for domestic workers, which regulates the procedures for unilaterally terminating the employment contract in the event that the domestic worker stops working. The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development explained that this initiative comes as a continuation of the Ministry’s ongoing endeavor to review labor market regulations and enhance the quality of the recruitment sector and policies related to the recruitment of domestic workers, and in line with the Ministry’s strategy for the labor market aimed at improving the contractual relationship between workers and employers, and preserving the contractual rights of all parties. Increasing the attractiveness and flexibility of the labor market in the Kingdom.

The Ministry explained that if the employer terminates the employment contract due to the domestic worker’s absence from work within two years of the worker’s entry into the Kingdom, then the worker must finally leave within 60 days, otherwise he will be considered in violation of the residency and labor laws. In the event that the contract is terminated due to absence from work after exceeding Two years, then the domestic worker must permanently leave or move to a new employer within 60 days from the date of absence from work, otherwise he will be considered in violation of the residency and labor laws. The Ministry has set specific controls in the event of reporting absence from work, allowing the employer to cancel the absence report within 15 days starting From the date it is first submitted, after which the report is considered final if the worker does not have a request to transfer services through the Musaned platform, or a final exit.

The initiative provides two main services: contract termination due to absence from work and labor mobility service. The initiative’s services include all domestic workers within specific controls that take into account the rights of both parties to the contractual relationship, provided that the initiative enters into force 120 days after the date of publication of the decision issued on 18 Ramadan 1445 AH.