Humaid bin Deemas, Acting General Manager in the MoL, who rejected the applications, has emphasised that all the companiesmust abide by the ministerial rule to stop work from 12.30pm to 3pm at outdoor work sites during July and August.
"It is a decision that bans heavy and light work activities under the sun in the summer to protect workers’ health," he added, pointing out that the rule was clear.
According to sources at the ministry, the inspectors found more than 180 firms across the country violating the rule and making the labourers work under the sun.
The move to form a Special Higher Commission is seen as part of judicial reforms initiated by KingAbdullah last October.
The reforms include establishing a Supreme Court as well as commercial, personal status and labor tribunals
A budget of SR 7 billion riyals has been allocated for the “King Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz Project to revamp the judicial sector, which aims at upgrading the judiciary and developing it in a comprehensive and integrated manner,” according to the Saudi Press Agency.
The new Judiciary and Court of Grievances Laws stresses the independence of the judges and calls for the establishment of specialized courts, including personal status, commercial, penal and labor tribunals.
The Supreme Court will take over all the functions of the Supreme Judiciary Council, which had served as the Kingdom’s highest tribunal, except the administrative aspects of the judiciary.
