Marafiq, a utility and maintenance firm for the industrial cities of Jubail and Yanbu, said its board of directors has approved payment of two basic salaries to all its employees as bonus.
“Our decision comes in line with the royal decrees issued by the king in appreciation of the efforts of Saudi citizens in the nation-building process,” said Prince Saud bin Abdullah, chairman of Marafiq.
All cement companies in the Kingdom have also decided to distribute two-month bonus, according to Zamil Al-Muqrin, chairman of the National Committee for Cement Companies at the Council of Saudi Chambers of Commerce and Industry.
“Cement companies in the Kingdom who are members in the committee have decided to distribute the two-month bonus among employees,” he said.
According to Al-Muqrin, the new welfare programs worth SR500 billion announced by King Abdullah, including pay hikes and building of 500,000 new housing units, would boost social and economic development.
The General Organization for King Fahd Causeway said it would distribute two-month salary as bonus among its workers.
Arab National Bank will also give a two-month salary as a bonus to its employees, said Abdullatif bin Hamad Al-Jabr, chairman of the bank. A number of Saudi banks such as Samba, Al-Rajhi and Saudi Investment had earlier announced their plan to distribute the bonus.
The bonus announcement comes after Saudis working in the private sector complained that they were not benefiting from the new welfare programs announced by the king for government employees. There are about 800,000 Saudis working in private companies.
Oil giant Saudi Aramco, SABIC, Saudi Electricity Co., Saudi Arabian Airlines, Saudi Telecom Co., Kingdom Holding Company, Saudi Real Estate Co. and Saudi Arabian Mining Co. have already announced plans to grant bonuses to their employees.
A number of charitable organizations have also joined the bandwagon announcing bonuses. Prince Faisal bin Sultan, secretary-general of Prince Sultan Charitable Foundation, said his organization would provide a full two-month wage to all its employees, including non-Saudis.
Prince Fahd bin Sultan, governor of Tabuk and chairman of Prince Fahd Charitable Society for Social Programs, said his organization would distribute two-month salary as bonus in line with the king’s gesture. “We’ll also make SR3,000 as the minimum salary of employees.”
