New 38 amendments of Saudi Arabia labor law

On March 2015, council of ministers and labor ministry has approved 38 new amendments in Saudi Arabia labor law. These are effective from October 2015. Most important updates of 38 new amendments of Saudi Arabia labor law are:

Training for Saudi’s: a company having 50 or more employees must train 12% Saudis and consider them as original employees.

Probation period: basically, probation period is 90 days but now it can be extended for additional 90 days on the agreement of both parties. It should not be more than 180 days. A worker can go on probation period only once in a company. But if worker left the company and return back or the work is different from previous work, then worker can go on probation period again.

Absent from work: if an employee is absent from work for 30 days or 15 consecutive days, without a valid reason, company can terminate him without any salary.

Fixed contracts: for Saudis, if the fixed contract of employment is extended for 4 years or renewed thrice successfully then the contract is considered as unlimited contract.

Termination notice: for unlimited contracts, termination notice period for monthly payable employees is extended from 30 days to 60 days and for hourly payable employees extended from 15 days to 30 days.

Holidays: In case of divorce or death of husband Muslim women can get 4 months 10 days leave and non Muslim women can take 15 days leave with full salary.

 Marriages leave - 5 days
 Paternity leave - 3 days
 Bereavement leave -5 days

Maternity leave: 10 week maternity leave for women with full salary and maternity leave starts 4 weeks before the delivery. Maternity leave can be extended for additional one month without salary.
Employment certificate: at the end of employment contract, a certificate of employment must be provided by employer and certificate should not contain anything against the reputation of employee.
Employee transfer: if employer wants to transfer his employee from one place to another, he must have the permission of employee in written format. In emergency situation, employer cannot transfer the employee to other place for more than 30 days in a year.

Working hours: working hours for an employee should not be more than 12 hours per day and employee should not work for more than 5 consecutive hours. At least half hour break is mandatory in a day.

Wage protection system: as per the wage protection system, employee salary should be deposited through bank account. Wage protection system is now at its eighth stage and applicable to all companies with 130 or more employees.

Work injuries: in case of workplace injury the employee will get full salary for 2 months and 75% of salary till the treatment which can be up to one year and if classified as disables will be provided compensation.