Saudi Gazette report

MADINAH —

The Ministry of Labor and Social Development has opened an investigation to find out whether a rehabilitation center for the needy has fired Saudi female teachers without prior warning and has not registered their name with the General Organization for Social Insurance (GOSI).

The teachers lodged a complaint with the ministry in which they said the center terminated their contracts while letting non-Saudi employees stay on job, Al-Watan newspaper reported.

The teachers accused the center of circumventing the regulations and renewing the contracts of some employees although those employees had already received their end-of-service benefits.

The center did so to deny any privileges that were given to the employees in the previous contract and to dismiss them from work without any obligation.

The teachers said the center does not have qualified supervisors to assess the abilities of the needy children. The center forced the Saudi teachers to sign a letter that they agree not to register their names with GOSI.

The teachers said they had served the center for a long time with dedication and were shocked that they were fired. They called upon the labor authorities to saudize jobs at rehabilitation centers.

Ahmed Al-Senani, director of public relations and media at the Ministry of Labor and Social Development’s branch in Madinah, said a committee was formed to investigate the complaint.

“We visited the center and reviewed the employment contracts of all female employees and found that all contracts were for limited periods. Some of the employees were told that they were redundant. Besides, some employees were given end-of-service benefits. The center suggested to some employees to change their profession so that it meets the type of work they do at the center and were asked to come back to the center but they did not,” Al-Senani said.

Al-Senani said all the contracts the employees signed stated that they were for a limited term.

The labor office is still considering the complaints filed by four employees demanding their end-of-service rights.

We visited the center and reviewed the employment contracts of all female employees and found that all contracts were for limited periods. Some of the employees were told that they were redundant.

Ahmed Al-Senani

Labor Ministry official