|
June 30, 2012 | Saudi cosmetic, lingerie shops will be manned only by saleswomen |
Dubai:Only women are going to be employed in cosmetics and perfume shops across Saudi Arabia from now on. The move, which comes as part of the second phase of a plan by the Ministry of Labour to employ only women in retail shops, is expected
to provide thousands of job opportunities for women in the age range of 18 up to 60 years old. The measure covers all types of shops that are located in shopping malls and souks. “Women are more familiar with cosmetics than men. They know more of types and colours of skin,” Gulf News quoted Masha’al Al Shamari, head of the communication centre at the Saudi labour ministry as saying. “Women will be dealing
with women. They would feel more comfortable than dealing with men, especially
when they are buying lingerie,” she said in reference to the six-month-old regulation
requiring lingerie shops to hire only women employees. Employers have two options
ahead of implementing the new regulations for cosmetics and perfumes shop, she
said. “First, the owner of the business could hire women employees through the
Human Resources Development Fund, which in this case will pay half of the employee
salary. And the second option is to advertise for job vacancies in different advertisement
means,” Shamari said . The minimum wage that has been set by the Ministry of Labour
is 3,000 riyal per month. In case an employee has been hired through the HRD Fund,
50 percent of her salary will be paid for by the fund for three years. Prior to
the implementation of the new regulations, several initiatives has been implemented
to train the women who are seeking employment in cosmetic and perfume shops. As
the new regulation comes into effect, the labour ministry will be carrying out
inspections. “Shops that don’t abide with the new laws will be punished by stopping
all services provided by the Ministry of Labour,” Shamari said. These services
include issuing license and working permits to the employees. The ministry had
also warned employers against producing fraudulent contacts and false hiring.
The punishment will also be applied on “fake” women employees. According to reports,
Saudi authorities carried inspections visits to nearly 7,300 lingerie shops across
the country after these places had been declared off limits to male employees
in January 5, 2012. The labour ministry’s estimates that the initiative is expected
to create job opportunities for nearly 44,000 women. Experts said that within
the next two to three years, hiring females in women retails shops will offer
nearly 500, 000 job opportunities.
|
|
|
|
Visit Indian Travel Sites
Goa,
Kerala,
Tamil Nadu,
Andhra Pradesh,
Delhi,
Rajasthan,
Uttar Pradesh,
Himachal Pradesh,
Assam,
Sikkim,
Karnataka,
Madhya Pradesh,
Jammu & Kashmir
Gujarat
Puducherry
|