Riyadh: The Saudi Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development (MHRSD) has implemented stringent measures to reinforce compliance with labor laws. Among these measures is a SR1,000 fine for employers who retain passports or residency permits of their employees or their family members.
The revised schedule of violations and penalties under the Labor Law also includes the following key points:
Hiring without Work Permits: Businesses employing foreign workers without the necessary work permit or failing to notify the Ajeer Program will face a SR5,000 fine.
Work Safety Violations: Employers neglecting occupational protection, safety, and health standards approved by the ministry may be fined between SR1,500 and SR5,000. The firm's owner or representative will be held accountable for accidents on the premises.
Childcare Facilities Requirement: Establishments with over 50 workers must provide designated childcare or nursery spaces, with a SR5,000 fine for non-compliance if at least 10 children under six years old are present.
Child Labor & Maternity Provisions: Hiring children under 15 incurs fines ranging from SR1,000 to SR2,000. Employing women within six weeks post-childbirth results in a SR1,000 penalty.
Non-compliance with Work Permit: Employers recruiting non-Saudi workers without the requisite work permit or failing to notify the Ajeer Program will face a SR10,000 fine.
Workplace Discrimination: Any form of discrimination, including disparities in work conditions, advertisements, or wages between male and female workers, attracts a SR3,000 fine.
Withholding Personal Documents: Employers retaining passports or residency permits will be penalized with a SR1,000 fine.
Delayed Wages: Non-compliance in disbursing wages in the official currency through approved bank accounts incurs a SR300 fine.
Workplace Abuse: Establishments not forming an abuse investigative committee or failing to address behavioral violations within stipulated timeframes are liable for a SR5,000 fine.
Violators are required to settle fines within 60 days from receiving the notification, and non-compliance may result in the suspension of services provided by the ministry, following the executive regulations of the Labor Law.
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