MoL seeks input on job program for women

The Ministry of Labor has called for public input on its expanded employment program for women at shops catering to women and families.
Members of the public can provide their views on the ministry's Maan website set up specifically to get a broad range of opinion on its new labor laws.
The new expanded program is expected to create thousands of jobs for Saudi women. The ministry has already feminized shops selling lingerie. The ministry has proposed in its draft document that owners of these shops would not need permits to hire Saudi women. However, these shops must only cater to women and families, have seating for employees and places to rest and pray.
Other proposed stipulations include the prohibition on women working before 9 a.m. and after 11 p.m., and a ban on men and women working together in the same shop.
Penalties for those who fail to comply include fines of between SR2,000 and SR5,000. There would also be a ban on owners employing foreign workers, renewing the visas of their current staff and transferring the sponsorship of others.
First time violators would not be able to get aid from the Human Resources Development Fund (HRDF) for three years, while repeat offenders would not get aid for five years.