Article 22 of the Saudi Labor Inspection Implementing Regulations
المادة 22 من اللائحة التنفيذية لضبط أعمال تفتيش العمل وتنظيمها · الفصل الخامس: قواعد التفتيش وإجراءاته
Article 22 requires the violation report to be drawn up at the workplace, the employer to be asked the reasons for each violation and his statement recorded, and the report to be signed by the inspector and employer or his refusal noted.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
في حالة ضبط مخالفة فيجب أن يحرر محضرها في مكان العمل إلا إذا حال دون ذلك مانع، وعلى مفتش العمل أن يسأل صاحب العمل - أو ممثله-عن أسباب ارتكاب كل مخالفة من المخالفات التي شاهدها ، وأن يسجل في محضر الضبط كلّ إفادته ، وأن يوقع على المحضر كل من المفتش وصاحب العمل أو ممثله ، فإن امتنع عن التوقيع فإنه يشار إلى ذلك في المحضر، وعلى المفتش أن يضع نصب عينيه أهمية التوجيه والإرشاد والتعاون مع أصحاب الأعمال إلى أقصى حد ممكن لوضع الأحكام النظامية موضع التطبيق .
This is the official Arabic wording, the only legally binding version. We do not translate the law itself; the explanation below is ours. Official source: Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers
Article 22 explained in plain English
When a violation is detected and a report is drawn up for it, this article sets specific procedures:
- Place of drawing up: the report is drawn up at the workplace, unless something prevents this.
- Questioning the employer: the inspector must ask the employer or his representative the reasons for committing each violation he saw.
- Recording the statement: the inspector records in the report all of the employer's statement.
- Signature: the report is signed by the inspector and the employer or his representative. If the employer refuses to sign, this is noted in the report.
The article also provides that the inspector must keep in mind the importance of guidance, direction and cooperation with employers to the greatest extent possible in order to put the legal provisions into practice.
In practical terms, recording the employer's statement in the report means that he may state his reasons and circumstances for each violation, and that they are written down as he said them. A refusal to sign does not prevent the report from being completed, as it is enough to note it. The Ministry sets the forms of reports under Article 23.
An employer against whom a report has been drawn up and who wants to know his options can consult a lawyer who specializes in labor cases.
Practical example
A labor inspector detects two violations at a warehouse in Jeddah, so he draws up the report at the warehouse itself, asks the manager the reason for each violation and records his statement in full. The manager refuses to sign the report, so the inspector notes this in the report and signs it.
Translated from our Arabic explanation with machine assistance. For guidance only; it does not replace advice from a lawyer on your situation.
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Frequently asked questions about Article 22 of the Saudi Labor Inspection Implementing Regulations
Where is a labor inspector's violation report drawn up?
At the workplace, unless something prevents this.
May the employer state the reasons for the violation in the report?
Yes. The inspector must ask him the reasons for each violation and record all of his statement in the report.
What happens if the employer refuses to sign the report?
His refusal to sign is noted in the report.
More articles on Inspection Report and Violation Report
- Article 12
Article 12 lets a labor inspector take one of several measures against a violator, depending on the violation's importance and circumstances: advice, oral warning, written notice with a deadline, or a violation report.
لمفتشي العمل عند قيامهم بتفتيش العمل في أي منشأة صناعية أو تجارية وغيرها تنفيذاً لأحكام نظام العمل واللوائح والقرارات الصادرة تطبيقاً له، أن يتخذوا بحق مخالفي أ
- Article 19
Article 19 requires the labor inspector to prepare a report on each inspection of each establishment for his superior, stating the visit details, the identification of the establishment, the number of workers and a summary of the actions taken.
يعد مفتش العمل تقريراً بكل تفتيش يقوم به في كل منشأة يزورها يرفعه لرئيسه المباشر لدراسته وإجراء ما يلزم في شأنه ، ويجب أن يتضمن هذا التقرير المعلومات التالية: أ
- Article 21
Article 21 obliges labor inspectors to follow up establishments found violating the Labor Law and its regulations with successive visits, after giving them sufficient and reasonable time limits to remedy the violations.
على مفتشي العمل متابعة المنشات - التي تثبت مخالفتها لأحكام نظام العمل واللوائح والقرارات الصادرة تطبيقاً له- بزيارات متتالية بعد منحها مهلاً كافية ومعقولة لتلاف
- Article 23
Article 23 requires the Ministry to prepare forms for violation reports, inspection registers, notices and warnings with instructions for their use, and bars labor offices from using any forms other than the approved ones.
تضع الوزارة نماذج محاضر ضبط مخالفات وسجلات التفتيش والتنبيهات والإنذارات والنماذج الأخرى المتعلقة بتنفيذ أحكام هذه اللائحة وأحكام نظام العمل الخاصة بتفتيش العمل
- Article 24
Article 24 provides that the Regulations are published in the Official Gazette and take effect from the date of publication.
تنشر هذه اللائحة في الجريدة الرسمية، ويعمل بها من تاريخ نشرها.
The texts are reproduced from the official website of the Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers for reference; where they differ, the officially published Arabic text prevails. This content is not legal advice.