New Set of Labour Laws Announced in Saudi Arabia

The Ministry of Human Resources announces new labour laws to preserve contractual rights and boost the work environment.

Paid maternity leave has now increased from 10 weeks to 12 weeks. Five days of paid leave are also granted to workers who have recently been married, or experienced a recent spousal death. In addition, all work done during national holidays will now be required to receive overtime pay.

Termination notices have also been updated, requiring workers who are not on a specified contract length to report their termination 30 days prior to leaving, and employers themselves requiring to give employees a 60-day notice prior to termination. In contrast to termination periods, work trial periods upon the hiring of a new employee are now capped at 180 days. Businesses that employ workers without a contract will also now face penalties.