Riyadh and Manila reached deal
RIYADH: The Philippine Embassy has announced that the Saudi Embassy in Manila and the Department of Labor and Employment ( DOLE) have discussed and agreed on a standard service contract for household workers in the Kingdom.
“During the meeting in Manila last month, the two sides agreed on a standard employment contract that indicates who's in charge of repatriation, excludes provisions unacceptable to the Kingdom and provides weekly rest for such workers, including housemaids,” Ambassador Ezzedin H. Tago told Arab News on Saturday.
The ambassador noted the fact that Saudi Arabia signed the International Labor Organization ( ILO) convention on decent work for domestic workers in June last year.
He added that the contract is subject to the laws of the Kingdom and does not indicate any amount, although the understanding is that a domestic worker would receive $ 400 as monthly wages.
“This is in accordance with a regulation of the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration in December 2006,” Tago said.
Tago added that household service workers will have one day rest per week and eight hours of rest a day during weekdays.
He added the contract will also have to be submitted for approval to the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs ( MFA) and the DOLE.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs may also refer the contract to the Ministry of Labor and related government agencies in the Kingdom,” he said.
Earlier, a newspaper report said countries have signed an accord setting the monthly salary of a Filipino maid at a minimum of $ 400 and stipulating the employer must give her a weekly day off and an annual holiday of at least 30 days.
Arabic daily Al- Hayat reported that the agreement also gave maids from the country the right to keep their passports during their stay in the Kingdom and to have a free ticket to the Philippines every year.
Under the agreement, the employer must open a bank account for the housemaid to transfer her salary at the end of every month.
The employer is also bound to provide the maid with decent housing and food or an allowance.