Special labor courts to end expat woes 

Senior diplomats from South Asian missions in the Kingdom have welcomed plans to set up separate courts to settle labor disputes. These courts will operate under the Ministry of Justice, said Hattab Al-Anazi, spokesperson for Labor Ministry.

Cases that are now with the Labor Ministry will be transferred to these special courts, he said.

Judicial reforms initiated by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah are expected to change the face of the legal system, said legal experts.

They said the new labor courts would deal with all kinds of labor-related litigations, such as violation of employment contracts, delays in wage payments and compensation.

The reforms are expected to benefit society at large and the massive expatriate community in particular.

Labor disputes that were previously tackled by ombudsmen at Ministry of Labor offices will now be investigated by judges appointed by the Ministry of Justice, said the experts.

The new move would provide effective and speedy justice, while enhancing transparency.

The judicial reforms, aimed at modernizing the legal process, also envisage the establishment of separate courts for commercial and family litigations, besides restructuring the grievances board.

Abdullah Al-Salafi, a prominent Riyadh-based Saudi attorney who specializes in labor-related litigation, described the proposed labor court as a milestone in the Saudi judicial system.

Indian Consul General Faiz Ahmed Kidwai welcomed the establishment of exclusive labor courts and voiced hope that they would start operating soon. Pakistan Consul General Aftab Ahmed Khokher praised the Saudi judiciary for the progressive action.

Bangladesh Consul General Nazmul Islam also welcomed the plan.

The proposed courts will be under the supervision of the Ministry of Justice and will be in sync with standard regular jurisprudence systems whose verdicts and decisions will be implemented mandatorily.

The Ministry of Justice will appoint judges to expedite hearings, said the legal experts.
Workers often file complaints that employers are not implementing labor court decisions or orders, as the court lacks true judicial authority.

The Labor Ministry had received a total of 9,960 cases last year, of which 4,243 were filed by Saudi employees and 5,717 filed by foreign employees. –JEDDAH: IRFAN MOHAMMED