In a move aimed at regulating the domestic labor market and safeguarding the rights of all parties, Musaned, the digital platform for domestic worker services under the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development in Saudi Arabia, has launched a new electronic service that allows employers to report "worker absences" instantly and easily. This service comes in anticipation of the holy month of Ramadan, which typically sees increased demand and activity in the domestic worker sector.
the service details and usage mechanism
, stating that the new service was designed to be user-friendly and save beneficiaries time and effort. Employers can access the service through specific steps, beginning with logging into the beneficiary's account on the "Musaned" platform, then selecting the relevant employee from the list of sponsored workers. Next, they navigate to the "Other Actions" option and choose the "Report Work Absence" service. To ensure data accuracy, a confirmation message appears requiring acceptance of the declaration before submitting the report and finalizing the application.
development
, and to enhance data accuracy and standardize government procedures, the Ministry of Interior's Absher platform announced a significant update to its procedures for reporting absences. Now, submitting a report of domestic worker absence through Absher requires a pre-existing and approved "absence from work" report registered in the Ministry of Human Resources' Musaned platform. This electronic integration aims to prevent malicious reports and ensure that all amicable or procedural solutions are exhausted before referring the case to security authorities, thereby enhancing the efficiency of government digital services.
The overall context and importance of timing:
This update comes within the framework of the Kingdom's digital transformation strategy under Vision 2030, which aims to automate government services and reduce paperwork and traditional in-person visits. The issues of domestic workers, specifically sudden absence from work, or what is locally known as "runaway employment," are among the challenges the Ministry has sought to address through legislation that guarantees the employer's rights in cases of contract breach, while simultaneously protecting the worker from false reports.
The expected impact of this service
is that it will contribute to better regulation of the domestic labor market, especially with the approach of Ramadan, when the need for stable employment increases. Furthermore, documenting absences electronically provides a legally sound record that protects employers from legal liability arising from a worker's absence and facilitates the subsequent removal of the worker from the sponsor's records in accordance with established regulations.
