Article 106 of the Saudi Labor Law
المادة 106 من نظام العمل · الباب السادس: شروط العمل وظروفه
Article 106 allows an employer to exceed the legal limits on working hours, rest breaks and the Friday rest day in 4 specific cases, up to a maximum of 10 hours a day and 60 hours a week.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
يجوز لصاحب العمل عدم التقيد بأحكام المواد الثامنة والتسعين والأولى بعد المائة والفقرة (1) من المادة الرابعة بعد المائة من هذا النظام في الحالات الآتية :
1 - أعمال الجرد السنوي، وإعداد الميزانية، والتصفية، وقفل الحسابات، والاستعداد للبيع بأثمان مخفضة، والاستعداد للمواسم، بشرط ألا يزيد عدد الأيام التي يشتغل فيها العمال على ثلاثين يومًا في السنة.
2 - إذا كان العمل لمنع وقوع حادث خطر، أو إصلاح ما نشأ عنه، أو تلافي خسارة محققة لمواد قابلة للتلف.
3 - إذا كان التشغيل بقصد مواجهة ضغط عمل غير عادي.
4 - الأعياد والمواسم والمناسبات الأخرى والأعمال الموسمية التي تحدد بقرار من الوزير.
ولا يجوز في جميع الحالات المتقدمة أن تزيد ساعات العمل الفعلية على عشر ساعات في اليوم، أو ستين ساعة في الأسبوع. ويحدد الوزير بقرار منه الحد الأقصى لساعات العمل الإضافية التي يسمح بها في السنة.
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 106 explained in plain English
Article 106 of the Labor Law sets a limited exception to 3 basic rules on the organization of working time, which are:
- Article 98: the maximum actual working hours (8 hours a day or 48 hours a week, reduced in Ramadan for Muslims to 6 hours a day or 36 a week).
- Article 101: no work of more than 5 consecutive hours without a rest of not less than half an hour, and no staying at the workplace for more than 12 hours a day.
- Paragraph (1) of Article 104: that Friday is the weekly rest day.
An employer may resort to this exception only in 4 cases, exclusively:
- Annual inventory work, preparing the budget, liquidation, closing accounts, preparing for sales at reduced prices and preparing for seasons, provided that the number of days of operation in this case does not exceed 30 days a year.
- Work to prevent a dangerous accident, to repair what resulted from it, or to avoid certain loss of perishable materials.
- Facing an unusual pressure of work.
- Holidays, seasons and other occasions and seasonal work that the Minister specifies by decision.
Even in these cases, there remain ceilings that may not be exceeded: actual working hours may not exceed 10 hours a day or 60 hours a week, and the Minister specifies by decision the maximum overtime hours permitted during the year; the article does not state this limit, so reference is made to the Minister's decision for it.
It is important to note that the exception does not cover paragraph (2) of Article 104, meaning the worker's right to a paid weekly rest of not less than 24 consecutive hours remains, though it may be moved from Friday to another day. The article also does not relieve the employer of the provisions of Article 107, so hours in excess of the legal limit remain overtime hours entitled to the overtime pay set out there.
If a worker feels they are being made to work outside these cases or beyond the stated ceilings, they can go to the competent labor office or consult a lawyer who specializes in labor cases.
Practical example
A retail company in Jeddah is preparing for its annual sales season, and its management asked warehouse employees to work 10 hours a day for two weeks to prepare and take inventory of the goods. This falls within the first case in Article 106 (preparing for sales at reduced prices and inventory), provided that the days of this exceptional operation do not exceed 30 days in the whole year, and that actual working hours do not exceed 10 hours a day or 60 hours a week. An employee such as Ahmed, who works in the warehouse, remains entitled to a paid weekly rest of not less than 24 consecutive hours under paragraph (2) of Article 104, and hours beyond 8 a day are counted as overtime under Article 107.
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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Active contributorFrequently asked questions about Article 106 of the Saudi Labor Law
Is an employer entitled to make a worker work more than 8 hours a day?
Yes, but only in the four cases specified in Article 106, such as annual inventory, preventing a dangerous accident or unusual pressure of work, up to a maximum of 10 hours a day and 60 hours a week.
Can a worker be made to work on Friday under Article 106?
Article 106 permits not adhering to paragraph (1) of Article 104, which makes Friday the weekly rest day, but it does not cancel paragraph (2), so the worker keeps the right to a paid weekly rest of not less than 24 consecutive hours.
How many days are allowed for inventory and budget work with extra working hours?
Article 106 requires that the number of days on which workers work on annual inventory, preparing the budget, liquidation, closing accounts and preparing for sales and seasons not exceed 30 days a year.
Am I entitled to overtime pay for the extra hours in these cases?
Article 106 does not exempt the employer from Article 107, which requires payment of overtime equal to the hourly wage plus 50% of the basic wage, or a paid compensatory leave with the worker's consent.
Articles this article refers to
- Article 98
Article 98 sets the maximum actual working hours at 8 hours a day or 48 hours a week, reduced for Muslims during Ramadan to 6 hours a day or 36 a week.
لا يجوز تشغيل العامل تشغيلًا فعليًّا أكثر من ثماني ساعات في اليوم الواحد، إذا اعتمد صاحب العمل المعيار اليومي، أو أكثر من ثمان وأربعين ساعة في الأسبوع، إذا اعتم
- Article 101Amended (1436 AH)
Article 101 requires working days to be organized so that a worker does not work more than 5 consecutive hours without a rest of at least half an hour, or stay at the workplace more than 12 hours a day.
تنظم ساعات العمل وفترات الراحة خلال اليوم، بحيث لا يعمل العامل أكثر من خمس ساعات متتالية دون فترة للراحة والصلاة والطعام لا تقل عن نصف ساعة في المرة الواحدة خلا
- Article 104
Article 104 makes Friday the weekly rest day with full pay of at least 24 consecutive hours, allows it to be replaced by another day under conditions, and bars compensating it with cash.
1- يوم الجمعة يوم الراحة الأسبوعية لجميع العمال. ويجوز لصاحب العمل- بعد إبلاغ مكتب العمل المختص- أن يستبدل بهذا اليوم لبعض عماله أي يوم من أيام الأسبوع، وعليه أ
More articles on Working Hours and Overtime
- 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 17
Article 17 requires the employer to keep at the workplace the records and files the Regulations specify, and to post a visible schedule of working hours, rest periods and shifts.
على صاحب العمل أن يحتفظ في مكان العمل بالسجلات والكشوف والملفات التي تحدد ماهيتها، والبيانات التي يجب أن تتضمنها اللائحة. وعليه أن يضع في مكان ظاهر بموقع العمل
- Article 49
Article 49 applies the Labor Law provisions on leave, holidays, working hours, rest periods, occupational safety and work injuries to the trainee and the person undergoing qualification.
تسري على عقد التأهيل والتدريب الأحكام الواردة في هذا النظام، الخاصة بالإجازات السنوية والعطلات الرسمية، والحد الأقصى لساعات العمل، وفترات الراحة اليومية والراحة
- Article 98
Article 98 sets the maximum actual working hours at 8 hours a day or 48 hours a week, reduced for Muslims during Ramadan to 6 hours a day or 36 a week.
لا يجوز تشغيل العامل تشغيلًا فعليًّا أكثر من ثماني ساعات في اليوم الواحد، إذا اعتمد صاحب العمل المعيار اليومي، أو أكثر من ثمان وأربعين ساعة في الأسبوع، إذا اعتم
- Article 99
Article 99 allows the Minister to raise daily working hours to 9 for certain categories or non-continuous work, or lower them to 7 in dangerous or harmful work.
يجوز زيادة ساعات العمل المنصوص عليها في المادة الثامنة والتسعين من هذا النظام إلى تسع ساعات في اليوم الواحد لبعض فئات العمال، أو في بعض الصناعات والأعمال التي ل
- Article 100
Article 100 allows an employer, with the Ministry's approval, to exceed 8 hours a day or 48 a week in establishments that work in rotation, provided the average over 3 weeks or less stays within these limits.
يجوز لصاحب العمل- بموافقة الوزارة- في المنشآت التي تقتضي طبيعة العمل فيها أداء العمل بالتناوب زيادة ساعات العمل على ثماني ساعات عمل في اليوم أو ثمان وأربعين ساع
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.