Labor Authority Targets Delivery Workers' Housing

Al-Jarida has learned that Engineer Rabab Al-Asimi, Director General of the Public Authority for Manpower, has directed the Authority’s Occupational Safety Monitoring and Labor Relations teams to expand field inspection campaigns targeting housing facilities for delivery workers, covering most areas of the country. This move comes amid the receipt of dozens of complaints via the Authority’s electronic “Blagani” (Report to Me) service, which indicate deplorable living conditions in these accommodations, overcrowding beyond permitted limits, and violations of occupational health and safety standards, thereby creating an environment conducive to the spread of diseases and infections among workers who deliver food, meals, and grocery items to citizens and residents.

According to sources within the Public Authority for Manpower, recent inspection rounds conducted by the Authority at some of these housing facilities resulted in the issuance of several warning notices to companies registered as employers of such workers. The Authority emphasized that this measure represents a first step, to be followed by further actions and stricter legal deterrents if these companies fail to cooperate, promptly rectify their violations, and improve their workers’ conditions before the warning period expires and subsequent inspections are carried out. The Authority stressed that the First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, Sheikh Fahad Al-Yousef, is closely monitoring all measures aimed at safeguarding the rights, safety, dignity, and health of expatriate workers and ensuring they are not subjected to any harm.

While sources confirmed that the Authority’s inspectors will continue these campaigns to ensure safe and decent living environments for expatriate workers, they called on citizens and residents to keep using the “Blagani” service to report violations of labor law, thereby supporting the Authority’s regulatory efforts and strengthening the protection of the labor market and expatriate workers.

The Authority also noted that this new automated service has proven highly effective in uncovering numerous violations and abuses that previously occurred outside the Authority’s sight. It explained that the service provides a secure and fully confidential reporting channel, giving whistleblowers greater confidence when submitting information about any observed violations.