Private sector companies and schools are stipulating that female employees obtain the consent of their male guardians when seeking work, sources at the Labor Ministry have said.

This condition has been added to female employment contracts after many establishments encountered problems with working women and their families.

Some had come under pressure from their male relatives to relinquish half of their salary, while others faced objections because the amount they earned was disproportionate to the hours they put in.

In these contracts, guardians are obliged to place their signature alongside that of the applicant.

“This precondition had been abolished by the Ministry of Labor,” Saud Al-Snaitan, head of a field inspection team and a supervisor for women working in the private sector. “The Ministry of Labor does not oblige women to seek male consent, especially if they have surpassed the legal age. The role of the ministry is limited to the contracts that exist between companies and employees.”

“New regulations for working women, however, will be issued soon, in addition to developing existing laws,” he said.

Sources have also said that transport is a major obstacle for women who work. Most companies stipulate that women secure their own journey to and from work prior to signing the contract, paying them a monthly transport allowance instead.