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[nomad soul]

Up to SR100,000 fine for weekend rule violation
Saudi Gazette | January 11, 2016
Source: http://saudigazette.com.sa/saudi-arabia/up-to-sr10000-fine-for-weekend-rule-violation/

RIYADH — Companies which count weekends as part of an employee’s annual leave will have to pay a fine of up to SR100,000, Makkah Arabic daily quoted a Ministry of Labor source as saying on Sunday.

According to the Saudi Labor Law, weekends are not to be counted as part of the employees’ annual leave, the source said. “The ministry has recorded several cases where companies and employers exploit the ignorance of employees about their rights. Many companies count the weekends as part of annual vacation which is a clear violation of the Saudi Labor Law,” said the source. “Weekends are official paid leaves. No company has the right to force its employees to work during the weekend and no company has the right to deduct salary for the weekends,” said the source.

Penalties for violating this regulation are usually monetary but sometimes administrative. The ministry has the right to increase the penalty stated under the law when the violation is repeated. Violators will be given a deadline to pay the fines. If the violator does not pay on time, the penalty and fine will be increased, said the source.

In certain cases, the ministry has the authority to close down the company for 30 days. If the violation is repeated, the ministry has the right to cancel the license of the company, said the source.

(End of article)

[radient one]

Thanks for this posting Nomad Soul, I wonder how many of us are being illegally short changed? My company certainly includes weekends as part of annual leave calculations. I'm curious if anyone can clarify this for me, too, please. I have been told that annual leave under Saudi Law should be calculated in addition to 12 months salary i.e. employees should receive times 12 our monthly salaries / year PLUS the annual leave entitlement. Pretty generous, if true. Does anyone actually receive this?

[Hatcher]

Regarding the law, try walking in and telling this to your employer.

Here is what happened to me.

The largest uni in Jeddah owed me 3000USD in wages.
I asked to be paid and cited labor laws. My boss told me I was stupid because the laws dont apply to Saudis.
They admitted I was right and said if I wanted to be paid.. I would be... and then I would be fired and so would a close friend of mine...
If I ever see my boss from that uni in my home country where he spends his summers, I will punch him in the face and chat up his wife.

[veiledsentiments]

This new rule only applies to contracts where the vacation is listed by days. If it says "one month," it is one calendar month. If it says, "30 calendar days," it will be the same... 30 days including weekends. If the contract says "30 days" then this rule "might" come into effect.

Because when it comes to us expats, the shadier employers pretty much will do as they please. They know that getting enforcement through the courts is either too expensive or takes too long to get enforced.

VS

[veiledsentiments]

[nomad soul]

[bigdurianthesecond]

[quote="radient one"]Thanks for this posting Nomad Soul, I wonder how many of us are being illegally short changed? My company certainly includes weekends as part of annual leave calculations. I'm curious if anyone can clarify this for me, too, please. I have been told that annual leave under Saudi Law should be calculated in addition to 12 months salary i.e. employees should receive times 12 our monthly salaries / year PLUS the annual leave entitlement. Pretty generous, if true. Does anyone actually receive this?[/quote]

In my current position we get that. And if you don't take the holiday they will pay you for an extra thirty days at the end of the year.

[bigdurianthesecond]

[quote="nomad soul"][b]Up to SR100,000 fine for weekend rule violation[/b]
Saudi Gazette | January 11, 2016
Source: http://saudigazette.com.sa/saudi-arabia/up-to-sr10000-fine-for-weekend-rule-violation/

RIYADH — Companies which count weekends as part of an employee’s annual leave will have to pay a fine of up to SR100,000, Makkah Arabic daily quoted a Ministry of Labor source as saying on Sunday.

According to the Saudi Labor Law, weekends are not to be counted as part of the employees’ annual leave, the source said. “The ministry has recorded several cases where companies and employers exploit the ignorance of employees about their rights. Many companies count the weekends as part of annual vacation which is a clear violation of the Saudi Labor Law,” said the source. “Weekends are official paid leaves. No company has the right to force its employees to work during the weekend and no company has the right to deduct salary for the weekends,” said the source.

Penalties for violating this regulation are usually monetary but sometimes administrative. The ministry has the right to increase the penalty stated under the law when the violation is repeated. Violators will be given a deadline to pay the fines. If the violator does not pay on time, the penalty and fine will be increased, said the source.

In certain cases, the ministry has the authority to close down the company for 30 days. If the violation is repeated, the ministry has the right to cancel the license of the company, said the source.

(End of article)[/quote]

Someone contacted HR about this and they said that because under Saudi law you are only entitled to 21 days it wouldn't make any difference to your 30. Because you already get more than you should. However the 21 days rises to thirty if you have been with the company for more than five years, so we shall see.

[In the heat of the moment]