RIYADH, July 13 (Xinhua) -- Saudi labor ministry will impose fines and penalties on firms in case of wage delaying, local media reported Thursday.
The decision will be imposed from Aug. 1, Al Eqtisady local online news reported.
The ministry tweeted the decision as part of the 11th phase of wage protection scheme, with its spokesperson highlighting that the targeted 7,000 firms have more than 481,000 workers.
The scheme will cover all private sector organizations to protect the interests of the labor force, said the ministry spokesman Khalid Abalkhail.
He added that firms which violate the decree will be fined 799 U.S. dollars on each worker, and they will be excluded from all services provided by the ministry.
Moreover, foreign workers will be allowed to shift to other jobs without permission if their employers are late in paying salaries.
The move is part of the country's labor market reforms to boost role of private sector in economy to get ready for the post-oil era.
