The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development stated that the process of transfer of service of foreign workers, who are reported absent from work, shall be completed within 15 days after obtaining the approval from the ministry. In the event of failure of transfer within this timeline, the status of worker will continue to remain as absent from work. The ministry said that this is part of the new updates to the Labor Law regulations with regard to those workers who are reported absent from work by their employers. Employers are allowed to transfer services of such workers to their facilities and the arrears of outstanding fees of these workers will be transferred to the new employer with the condition that the employer agrees to that when transferring the worker’s services to him, according to Saad Al-Hammad, spokesman of the ministry. Speaking to Okaz/Saudi Gazette, Al-Hammad said that the ministry has updated the regulations and procedures with regard to foreign workers who are absent from work in the private sector companies and establishments. “This is aimed at improving the work environment and protecting the rights of the parties involved in the contractual relationship. As part of its responsibility, the ministry is striving to improve the work environment and protect the rights of all parties to the contractual relationship,” he said. The spokesman stated that the ministry has updated the regulations by which the worker’s data ceases to be linked with his firm and his status will be “absence from work” at the ministry’s systems in the event the employer submits a request to terminate the contractual relationship due to the worker’s absence from work. In such cases, the current employer does not bear any liabilities for the worker. Al-Hammad said that the ministry aimed through these measures to protect the rights of workers and employers, as well as to raise the efficiency and attractiveness of the Saudi labor market, through a series of initiatives, such as the Wage Protection Law, the initiative to improve the contractual relationship, and the “Wudi” program.