Following the oil boom years of the 1970s and 80s which translated into a lot of cash flowing into the Kingdom, a new social trend began to manifest itself. Households began recruiting cheap foreign domestic help. Prior to those years, only the affluent could afford such helpers who stayed for long years and were usually considered to be part of the family. Most other households managed from within. But since that time, every home has had to have at least one domestic helper. Remarking on this phenomenon, Shamsul Huda, a resident expatriate, says that the Kingdom today is experiencing a growing shortage of domestic helpers, such as house drivers and maids. These workers, currently estimated to be around two million, have long been in short supply as some countries have baulked at the deployment of maids to the Kingdom citing some untoward incidents. He adds: "The crisis seems to have eased a little with Philippines and Indonesia resuming sending maids to the Kingdom after high-level discussions which prompted the Saudi government to formulate new laws to protect the rights of domestic workers. The new laws stipulate that the maids will enjoy a weekly day off, at least nine hours of free time daily, medical leave, one-month paid vacation every two years, etc. There is also a fixed monthly salary of SR1,500 for each maid. "A bed of nails awaits the employers of domestic workers who violate these laws. First time violators will be slapped with a SR 2,000 fine and a one-year ban on the further recruitment of maids. Second time violators will face a fine of SR 5,000 with a recruitment ban of three years. And there is severe punishment for third-time violators who will risk a lifetime ban and a fine of SR 10,000. "On the other hand, if maids breach their contracts, they will be fined SR 2,000 and prevented forever from working in the Kingdom and will be forced to pay their repatriation expenses. Under the new regulations, maids are obliged to adhere to Saudi customs, traditions, religious teachings, family values and secrets. "With the new laws being put into effect, the number of runaway maids is expected to be reduced significantly. Runaway maids have long been a headache both for Saudi employers and the diplomatic missions of countries which supply maids to the Kingdom. According to one study, over 20,000 maids used to desert their employers every year. Huda asks: "Why do maids run away from Saudi families? It's a serious concern raised by foreign maid-supplying countries who have asked the Saudi government to respond to this crisis. The major complaints which drive maids out of the homes of their employers include irregular payment of wages, mistreatment by family members, inadequate living conditions and lack of training to operate household equipment. "Another much-talked about reason which encourages maids to run away is that there is scope for them to be hired instantly by other local families. Some of these runaway maids are said to be paid better and some of them are alleged to be engaged in illicit activities. This issue should be dealt with with a heavy hand. "Saudi families should be dissuaded from hiring illegal maids. Otherwise, there is the risk of facing untoward consequences. If maids are recruited through clandestine arrangement and if they commit crimes like theft and robbery, employers will not have the moral right to go to the police. There should be exemplary punishment for those who employ illegal maids as exists in other GCC countries. For instance, in the UAE, any illegal recruiter faces up to Dh 100,000 in fines coupled with a possible jail term and the subsequent deportation of the maid. "However, Saudi families continue to hire illegal domestic helpers. This is because Saudi women are increasingly entering the job market, so that they require drivers to bring them to and from their homes and workplaces and maids to look after their children. "This problem can be solved if the local workforce is shaped in such a way that those who are willing can work as house drivers. There is also a need for more citizens to manage their household chores by themselves. Huda says: "Apart from this, professional childcare centers should be developed in almost every locality like those in Western countries where children can be cared for in a homely atmosphere. This will reduce reliance on maids who are mostly non-Muslims, illiterate and unable of care for children properly." There is no question that Shamsul Huda has addressed a serious problem in the domestic arena. How some households will address this problem in the face of restricted recruitment remains to be seen.
— The author can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @talmaeena
