We all know that many homes in Saudi Arabia are dependent on a second income that is gained by working women, especially since many workers in the government sector receive low salaries. The low salaries sometimes are not enough to secure basic needs despite the 15-percent across-the-board raise for public sector employees.
For many years, women’s positions in the job field were wholly restricted to the areas of education or health. They worked hard and managed to achieve a lot in a healthy environment that is separated from men. The talk about expanding the work field of women is normal. Now we see more women in the private sector. Working women are proving that they are partners in the development of society.
Unfortunately, some private sector employers, including some banks, are employing women in the marketing department to market credit cards, SR50 for each netted customer.
Professionally speaking, this is not an easy job, and it requires a lot of training and communication skills that the bank does not provide. Some women accept this difficult job for financial reasons.
A friend of mine told me that a woman came to him to market a credit card. He told her that he already has a credit card. She was insistent. When he asked her why she was so persistent, she said her husband only earned SR3,000 per month, which isn’t enough to raise a family. She thought by accepting this job she might be able to help him financially. She said that she discovered that her commuting expenses were costing her more than the commission she was earning at the job.
What type of employment contract is this? This type of work is totally unacceptable for women in this conservative society. Some people might ask her why she accepted, or why she persists at the job. I would reply on their behalf that some of them are in deep trouble financially and that they would accept anything that comes their way. I think the private sector should reconsider their policies so as to help these people that are trying to make an honest living to feed hungry mouths.
