Some restaurants employing female hostesses despite ban

Even though the Ministry of Labor made it clear in June that the employment of women in restaurants should be limited to kitchen duties, some restaurants have been hiring female Saudi hostesses to welcome guests at their family sections.
“Women are still banned from working as waitresses and cashiers in restaurants and are only allowed to work in the kitchens of these establishments,” said Fahad Al-Tukhaifi, assistant undersecretary for Development at the Ministry of Labor.
A senior official at the Ministry of Labor said the ministry is taking serious steps to tackle women’s unemployment in the private sector. It will implement the Shoura Council’s decision to address the increasing number of Saudi women who want to work.
A well-known international restaurant chain based in Jeddah told Arab News they had hired female Saudi employees to serve as hostesses at their family section reception and to work in the kitchen. They said they had not hired any women as waitresses.
The restaurant official refused to give details about getting approval from the ministry and declined to discuss the issue further.
Al-Tukhaifi stressed that employers in violation of the ban would be penalized. Those who wished to hire women in certain sections of the restaurant should first get approval from the ministry.
“The only obstacle hindering women from working as waitresses or as cashiers in restaurants is the fear of harassment,” said Dalal Kaaki, a Saudi businesswoman at the Makkah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI). “Harassment happens all around the world. Officials are worried women would be exposed to harassment, so they have banned them from working (in these positions).