Dubai: Lingerie outlets and other shops selling women`s accessories in Saudi Arabia have been instructed to ensure they are fully staffed by women and have no male employees on their rosters.
The directive, that has come with a mid-August deadline, stems from a new legislation, that bars men from manning such shops.
Any store found employing male workers beyond that date, likely either August 18-19, will be closed down, local media quoted Labour Ministry Undersecretary Fahd Al-Takhayyufi as saying.
Establishments that do not cooperate with the ministry will be penalised, Al-Takhayyufi said.
According to him, recent inspections to check if installations were complying with the legislation detective several anomalies.
He said inspections to guarantee that all lingerie shops are staffed by women exposed several violations, including employment of non-Saudi workers overstaying their visas.
The goal of implementing the women-only directive is not only aimed at Saudising the sector, but it is also part of a move to provide a safe environment for women to work in the country, he said.
PTI
