Labour rules governing Saudi nationals are about to tighten significantly, sources said.
The Ministry of Labour is about to introduce a uniform employment contract to prevent Saudi workers from abandoning their current jobs to take other positions without prior notification, sources said. Under the new uniform contract, a Saudi worker must obtain a release letter from his employer in order to quit his job.
The new contract is intended to address the apprehensions of a large number of Saudi employers regarding the job commitment of young Saudi nationals. There are reports many employers hesitate to hire young Saudi men, mainly because of their perceived lack of job commitment. The new uniform contract will define the rights of employers and employees, as well as total working hours, official holidays, terms and penalties for absence from work, sources said.
In another development, the Foreign Ministry has decided to hire 36 Saudi women for various posts within the next three weeks.
The women will be appointed to a variety of jobs in the political, economic, women's rights and computer departments, said Prince Khalid Ibn Saud, director of the ministry's Financial and Administrative Affairs section.
Many women have already applied for the jobs, Prince Khalid said.
Prince Saud Al Faisal, the Foreign Minister, recently revealed his ministry's decision to hire women for non-diplomatic posts.
The ministry is also in the process of enhancing its women's section at its headquarters in Riyadh.
Meanwhile, Abdullah Bin Saleh Al Obaid, the education minister, has issued a directive regarding the formation of a tripartite committee.
The committee will study the issue of unemployment of Saudi youths who have obtained diplomas to teach the English language in elementary schools. The Ministry of Education has agreed in principle to use the diploma holders to replace foreign teachers who have been recruited to teach English to sixth grade students.
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