These include enacting legislation to make hurub (running away from an employer) a crime, taking stringent punitive measures against runaway workers, and ensuring involvement of the concerned authorities and the country the worker was hired from in preventing hurub, according to Maher Jamal, spokesman of the chamber.
Speaking to Al-Eqtisadiah business daily, he said the Labor Ministry should include a provision aimed at preventing hurub in the labor contract. According to the proposed provision, the government must levy a fine of SR50 on the runaway worker for each day he is found absconding. The runaway worker can leave the Kingdom only after clearing all financial obligations with the employer. The relevant embassy would issue travel documents for the runaway worker only after he or she clears all dues with the employer.
