10 October 2014, The Daily Star
BEIRUT: Labor Minister Sejaan Azzi Friday ordered the closure of two domestic worker recruitment agencies in south Lebanon for violating regulations.
According to a ministry statement, Azzi issued an order to shut down one agency in the town of Bint Jbeil and another in Tyre.
The minister said he would not be lenient with agencies that violated labor laws.
Recruitment offices have come under tightening scrutiny in recent years for violating labor laws and exploiting the kafala system, which governs the status of foreign domestic workers who are brought into the country under the sponsorship of a Lebanese employer.
Activists have repeatedly criticized such agencies for changing job descriptions and working hours at the whim of employers and doing little to curb the abuse of workers.