Article 1 of the Saudi Labor Law
المادة 1 من نظام العمل · الفصل الأول: التعريفات
Article 1 gives this law its official name, the "Labor Law", the name used in contracts, decisions and all other articles of the law.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
يسمى هذا النظام نظام العمل.
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 1 explained in plain English
Article 1 of the Labor Law is a short introductory article. It imposes no direct rights or obligations, but it performs a basic function: it gives this legislation its official name, the "Labor Law". It is referred to by this name in all documents and texts connected with it.
In practical application this means:
- When the expression "Labor Law" appears in an employment contract, a work organization regulation, an administrative decision or a court judgment, it means this law specifically, with all of its articles.
- Every occurrence of "this Law" in the following articles refers to the law named in this article, so it is the reference point from which the remaining provisions proceed.
- This article links the law to its regulations, since Article 2 defines "the Regulations" as the Implementing Regulations of this law, so the name here determines which law those regulations are issued for.
Article 1 comes at the start of Chapter One: Definitions, and is followed directly by Article 2, which states the meanings of the words and phrases used in the law wherever they appear, such as "the Ministry", "the Minister", "labor office", "employer", "worker", "wage", "establishment" and others. Article 1 sets the name of the law and Article 2 sets its vocabulary, and together they form the entrance through which the provisions that follow are understood.
A reader looking for a particular right or obligation will therefore not find it in this article, but in the later articles that deal with the employment contract and its provisions and conditions. If a worker or employer has a question about how a particular text applies to their situation, it is best to consult a specialized labor lawyer.
Translated from our Arabic explanation with machine assistance. For guidance only; it does not replace advice from a lawyer on your situation.
How we write and review contentA question about Article 1 of Labor Law?
Describe what happened and specialist lawyers answer. You can write in English.
- Completely free
- Lawyers from the directory answer
- Your name stays hidden
Labour & Employment Law lawyers: ask a specialist about your case
Describe your situation briefly and we'll suggest a lawyer who specialises in this law
Labour & Employment Law lawyers
Lawyers who handle this kind of case
شركة امتداد النظام للمحاماة والاستشارات المهنية
- Labour & Employment Law
- Criminal Law
Dr. Ali Al-Rubaie Law Office and Ittihad Al-Asr Legal Company
Active contributorFrequently asked questions about Article 1 of the Saudi Labor Law
What does Article 1 of the Labor Law provide?
It provides that this law is called the "Labor Law". It only sets the law's official name and does not itself establish rights or obligations.
Does Article 1 have a practical effect on the worker or employer?
Its effect is indirect. It sets the name by which the law is referred to in contracts, regulations and decisions, and every occurrence of "this Law" in later articles refers to the law named in it.
What is the relationship between Article 1 and Article 2 of the Labor Law?
Article 1 gives the law its name, and Article 2 states the meanings of the words and phrases used in it wherever they appear, such as "worker", "employer" and "wage", and defines "the Regulations" as the Implementing Regulations of this law.
More articles on Definitions and General Provisions of the Labor Law
- Article 2Amended by M/44
Article 2 defines the terms used in the Labor Law, such as worker, employer, basic and actual wage, continuous service, types of work, secondment and resignation.
يقصد بالألفاظ والعبارات الآتية -أينما وردت في هذا النظام- المعاني المبينة أمامها ما لم يقتض السياق خلاف ذلك: الوزارة: وزارة العمل. الوزير: وزير العمل. مكتب العم
- Article 3Amended (1440 AH)
The article provides that work is a right of the citizen, that others may not practice it except on the law's conditions, and that citizens are equal in the right to work without discrimination based on sex, disability, age or otherwise.
العمل حق للمواطن، لا يجوز لغيره ممارسته إلا بعد توافر الشروط المنصوص عليها في هذا النظام، والمواطنون متساوون في حق العمل دون أي تمييز على أساس الجنس أو الإعاقة
- Article 4
Article 4 requires the employer and the worker alike to observe the provisions of Islamic Sharia in everything relating to the application of the Labor Law.
يجب على صاحب العمل والعامل عند تطبيق أحكام هذا النظام الالتزام بمقتضيات أحكام الشريعة الإسلامية.
- Article 5Amended (1436 AH)
Article 5 sets the scope of the Labor Law: every paid employment contract under an employer's management, government and public-body workers, charity workers, training contracts, and part-time workers within set limits.
تسري أحكام هذا النظام على الآتي : 1 - كل عقد عمل يلتزم بمقتضاه أي شخص بالعمل لمصلحة صاحب عمل وتحت إدارته أو إشرافه؛ مقابل أجر. 2 - عمال الحكومة والهيئات والمؤسس
- Article 6
Article 6 sets the provisions that apply to the casual, seasonal and temporary worker: duties, discipline, working hours, rest, overtime, official holidays, safety, work injuries and what the Minister decides.
تسري على العامل العرضي والموسمي والمؤقت الأحكام الخاصة بالواجبات وقواعد التأديب، والحد الأقصى لساعات العمل، وفترات الراحة اليومية والراحة الأسبوعية، والتشغيل ال
- Article 7Amended by M/44
Article 7 excludes five categories from the application of the Labor Law, requiring the Minister to issue special regulations for four of them whose violation is punished under Article 229.
1- يستثنى من تطبيق أحكام هذا النظام كل من: أ- أفراد أسرة صاحب العمل، وهم زوجه وأصوله وفروعه الذين يعملون في المنشأة التي لا تضم سواهم. ب- لاعبو الأندية والاتحاد
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.