SAUDI GAZETTE

JEDDAH — A total of 6,440,462 workers both male and female have been listed on the Ministry of Labor and Social Development wage protection system during the past four years.

The program is now entering its 11the stage, which was announced last Tuesday and it includes companies with 60 workers or more.

The first stage included 3,000 workers or more, then the other stages with subsequent increment in the number of workers under the wage protection scheme followed.

The ministry said phases 11 to 16 of the program will cover establishments with less than 80 and up to 11 workers. The date for the application of the program on establishments with less than 11 workers will be fixed later.

The ministry stressed that it will continue implementing the wage protection program. Each company that delays the salary of employees for one month will be fined SR3,000 for each worker.

The company will also be deprived of all ministry services except for issuing work permits for two months. If the delay lasts for three months, the ministry will stop all its services and allow all workers to move to other companies without obtaining permission from the employer.

The ministry called on companies with the identified number of employees (60 or more) to start registering. The ministry also announced that companies with less 60 employees may register for a trial period, but will not be punished during the trial period.

The program is also aimed at establishing a database containing uptodate information about the payment of salaries to the workers in the private sector. "The program will reflect the commitment of the companies and establishments to pay salaries on time and at the amount agreed upon with the workers," the ministry said.