Article 107 of the Saudi Labor Law
المادة 107 من نظام العمل · الباب السادس: شروط العمل وظروفه
Article 107 requires the employer to pay for each overtime hour the regular hourly wage plus 50% of the basic wage, or give compensatory leave with the worker's consent, and counts hours on holidays and feast days as overtime.
Official text after amendments (Arabic)
Compiled from the original text and every officially published amendment; the amendments are shown in full below for comparison.
1- يجب على صاحب العمل أن يدفع للعامل أجراً إضافيًّا عن ساعات العمل الإضافية يوازي أجر الساعة مضافاً إليه (50%) من أجره الأساسي، ويجوز لصاحب العمل بموافقة العامل أن يحتسب للعامل أيام إجازة تعويضية مدفوعة الأجر بدلاً عن الأجر المستحق للعامل لساعات العمل الإضافية. وتبين اللائحة الأحكام المتصلة بذلك.
2 - إذا كان التشغيل في المنشأة على أساس المعيار الأسبوعي لساعات العمل تعد الساعات التي تزيد على الساعات المتخذة لهذا المعيار ساعات عمل إضافية .
3 - تعد جميع ساعات العمل التي تؤدَّى في أيام العطل والأعياد ساعات إضافية.
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 107 explained in plain English
Article 107 of the Labor Law determines how a worker is compensated for overtime hours, that is, hours worked in excess of the working hours set for the worker.
- The amount of overtime pay: the employer must pay for each overtime hour the regular hourly wage plus 50% of the worker's basic wage. This is a statutory obligation that the employer cannot waive on its own.
- Compensatory leave instead of pay: the employer may give the worker paid compensatory leave days instead of overtime pay, but on the condition of the worker's consent. Paragraph 1 of the article was amended by Royal Decree No. M/44 dated 8/2/1446 AH, in force from 20/8/1446 AH. The article refers the details of this option (such as the method of calculation and its controls) to the Implementing Regulations without stating them in the text.
- The weekly standard: if the establishment organizes work on the basis of a weekly number of hours, anything above this standard counts as overtime, even if the worker did not exceed the daily limit.
- Holidays and feast days: every hour of work performed on holidays and feast days counts as an overtime hour from the first hour, regardless of the number of working hours in that week.
This article is linked to Article 106, which sets out the cases in which an employer may exceed ordinary working hours (such as annual inventory and facing an unusual pressure of work), with a maximum of 10 hours a day or 60 hours a week, with the Minister to specify the maximum overtime hours in the year. Article 108 exempts certain categories, such as holders of senior positions with the employer's powers, from Articles 98 and 101 on working hours.
If a worker does not receive overtime pay and has not agreed to compensatory leave, they are entitled to claim it, and it is advisable to consult a labor lawyer to assess their situation and the method of calculation.
Practical example
Ahmed works for a company in Riyadh on an 8-hour day, and his wage is entirely basic, equivalent to SAR 40 an hour. During the annual inventory season he was asked to work two extra hours a day for a week, and he then worked 6 hours on one of the days of Eid al-Fitr. Under Article 107, each overtime hour is due SAR 40 plus 50% of his basic hourly wage (SAR 20), that is SAR 60 an hour. The six hours on Eid day all count as overtime from the first hour. The company offered Ahmed paid leave days instead of the amount; he may accept or refuse, and the alternative applies only with his consent.
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 107 of the Saudi Labor Law
What is the overtime hourly rate under the Saudi Labor Law?
Under Article 107, for each overtime hour the regular hourly wage is paid plus 50% of the worker's basic wage.
Can overtime be compensated with leave instead of money?
Yes. The employer may count paid compensatory leave days instead of overtime pay, but only with the worker's consent, and the Implementing Regulations set out the related provisions.
Is work on Eid days considered overtime?
Yes. Paragraph 3 of Article 107 provides that all working hours performed on holidays and feast days count as overtime hours.
When do hours count as overtime if work is on a weekly basis?
If operations in the establishment are on the basis of a weekly standard of working hours, every hour exceeding this weekly standard counts as an overtime working hour.
Amendment history
Royal Decree No. M/44 — 8/2/1446 AH
In effect from 20/8/1446 AH
Official amendment text (Arabic)
- صدر المرسوم الملكي رقم (م/44) وتاريخ 1446/2/8هـ، وذلك بالموافقة على تعديلات بعض مواد نظام العمل (ويعمل بها من تاريخ 1446/8/20هـ)
وعدلت الفقرة (1) من هذه المادة لتكون بالنص الآتي: "يجب على صاحب العمل أن يدفع للعامل أجراً إضافيًّا عن ساعات العمل الإضافية يوازي أجر الساعة مضافاً إليه (50%) من أجره الأساسي، ويجوز لصاحب العمل بموافقة العامل أن يحتسب للعامل أيام إجازة تعويضية مدفوعة الأجر بدلاً عن الأجر المستحق للعامل لساعات العمل الإضافية. وتبين اللائحة الأحكام المتصلة بذلك".
Original text before the amendments (Arabic)
1- يجب على صاحب العمل أن يدفع للعامل أجراً إضافيًّا عن ساعات العمل الإضافية يوازي أجر الساعة مضافًا إليه 50% من أجره الأساسي.
2 - إذا كان التشغيل في المنشأة على أساس المعيار الأسبوعي لساعات العمل تعد الساعات التي تزيد على الساعات المتخذة لهذا المعيار ساعات عمل إضافية .
3 - تعد جميع ساعات العمل التي تؤدَّى في أيام العطل والأعياد ساعات إضافية.
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.