Women inspectors document 4,000 violations in Riyadh

RIYADH — Women inspection teams from the branch of the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development in the Riyadh region have documented around 4,000 violations during their raids over the past six months.

The women teams carried out more than 21,000 field visits, covering commercial complexes, private schools, workshops, and women’s sports clubs, in addition to some small women’s projects within the neighborhoods of the city of Riyadh and various governorates of the region. The inspections focused on ensuring that business owners adhere to commercial laws and regulations of the market.

Most of the detected violations were pertaining to paragraphs 20 and 21 of the Labor Law that prohibit employment of non-Saudi workers in occupations restricted to Saudis and the employment of male workers in jobs restricted to Saudi female workers. The teams also detected violations such as the absence of labor contracts and medical insurance.

The branch of the ministry stated that the work of inspectors is not limited to detecting and filing violations, but also extends to professional counseling for female employees in the private sector and answering their inquiries regarding their rights and duties. It stressed that the inspection campaigns carried out by the ministry’s branch, represented by the Women’s Inspection Sector, continue throughout the year to ensure compliance with directives to feminize and Saudize women’s accessory shops, as well as regulations of the labor market.