“The new scheme, the International Social Security Program (ISSP), came into force on March 1 and currently applies only to new housemaids and house drivers that are coming into the Kingdom from Colombo,” a senior diplomat from the mission told Arab News. He added the program had been devised to support Sri Lanka’s migrant labor in the domestic categories in Saudi Arabia.
The local partner for the program in the Kingdom is Sami Attar Establishment. The company has an office in Colombo. The diplomat said the program was introduced by the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment in association with the ISSP International.
“An important feature in the scheme is that the employer will have to pay the total insurance premium without any financial burden to the employee,” the official said.
The comprehensive social protection scheme is considered a win-win mechanism for both parties, as the concerns of both groups are met in a comprehensive manner, he said.
Lankan men and women below 50 who seek employment in the Kingdom as domestic aides will come under the scheme.
According to sources from Colombo, workers already in the Kingdom will be integrated when their employment agreement is renewed.
The benefits to the employee include the payment of SR15,000 for dependents in case of death of the worker — either due to accident or natural causes — and SR15,000 (maximum) for hospital admission or outpatient treatment for illness. Also, in proven cases of abuse against the employee, he or she would be paid SR15,000 (maximum) as compensation. In cases of nonpayment of salaries, the employee would be compensated up to six months. In addition to financial benefits, the cover includes legal assistance and language translation facilities free of charge.
The insurance scheme also covers losses incurred by the employer in case of wrongdoings by the worker. In case of an employee quitting his or her job before the stipulated period, the employer is provided with the initial payment they made to the employment agent (maximum SR8,000).
The employer has the right to claim the payment made to the employment agent plus the expenses incurred for the airline ticket needed to send the employee back home if the employee refuses to carry out his or her job functions.
The implementation of the new scheme is a follow-up to a decision made by Foreign Employment Promotion and Welfare Minister Dilan Perera with the Saudi labor minister during his visit to the capital in August last year. It was agreed at the meeting that the Sri Lankan government would appoint an international insurance company and the Saudi government would persuade the sponsor to pay the premium on behalf of his employee, who will be working as a maid in his house.
“Such an arrangement will ease the problems of both the employee, employer and the two governments in case of eventuality, such as repatriation of bodies, medical treatment and accidents,” the Lankan minister said.
