JEDDAH – As Eid Al-Fitr approaches, malls and retail stores in the Kingdom have extended their work hours to 2:30 a.m. The increased hours are beneficial to business owners who benefit from the extra revenue last minute shoppers bring in but saleswomen who have to work longer night shifts, say their families are reluctant to allow them to stay out of the house so late. “After we close our shop, we have stay for an extra 30 minutes to clean up and finalize the day's transactions and although the Ramadan crowds help us feel secure, everyone leaves by 3 a.m. and it is a bit scary leaving an empty mall,” said a saleswoman who works at a major mall in Jeddah. “It takes me another 30 minutes to reach home and by that time, I am too exhausted to help my mom prepare Suhoor. I don't mind the number of work hours, the problem is staying late at night away from our homes,” she added. Many saleswomen who spoke to the Saudi Gazette said they had asked store owners to close early but they were told that mall administrators want all shops to stay open until 2:30 a.m. and in some cases, beyond 3 a.m. The late work hours have prompted many saleswomen to leave their jobs and others who remain on the job, say they are worried their families will ask them to quit. “Many unmarried women have left their jobs because their families are not okay with them staying out late at night. The Ministry of Labor needs to set appropriate work hours for us,” said Sawsan a saleswoman.
