Saudi employers required to open bank accounts for Pinoy maids

MANILA, Philippines - Employers in Saudi Arabia are now required to open bank accounts for newly hired Filipino household  workers.      

Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz said the government had imposed the new requirement to ensure that Filipino maids will get the right wages.

The opening of the bank account is part of the new standard employment contract that the Philippine and Saudi governments have agreed on, she added.     

Other provisions of the standard employment contract are: payment of salaries of not less than $400 through a personal bank account to be opened by the employer; one day of rest each week; a 30-day vacation leave for every two years of service with free round-trip economy class ticket; and a bonus of one month’s salary upon renewal of contract.    

Baldoz said the worker is also entitled to free transportation back to the Philippines upon expiration of contract.    

“In case of termination for reasons not attributable to the worker, the employer shall bear the cost of repatriation of the worker to the Philippines,” she said.    

Baldoz said the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) in Riyadh and Jeddah have started to accept applications for the accreditation of Saudi recruitment agencies  intending to recruit Filipino maids.    

Only licensed Saudi Arabian recruitment or placement agencies shall be allowed to do recruitment, she added.   

Baldoz said the POLO no longer requires Saudi employers to appear before the Philippine embassy in Riyadh or the Philippine consulate general in Jeddah to submit documents as proof of salary and location of residence, among other requirements.   

Once the required documents have been verified, the POLO will issue a certificate of accreditation to the recruitment agency for registration with the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration, she added.    

After registration, the recruitment agency can submit employment contracts for verification to POLO.