Article 109 of the Saudi Labor Law
المادة 109 من نظام العمل · الباب السادس: شروط العمل وظروفه
Article 109 gives a worker paid annual leave, paid in advance, of at least 21 days, rising to 30 days after 5 continuous years, and bars waiving it or replacing it with money during service.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
1- يستحق العامل عن كل عام إجازة سنوية لا تقل مدتها عن واحد وعشرين يومًا، تُزاد إلى مدة لا تقل عن ثلاثين يومًا إذا أمضى العامل في خدمة صاحب العمل خمس سنوات متصلة، وتكون الإجازة بأجر يدفع مقدمًا.
2 - يجب أن يتمتع العامل بإجازته في سنة استحقاقها، ولا يجوز النزول عنها، أو أن يتقاضى بدلًا نقديًّا عوضًا عن الحصول عليها أثناء خدمته، ولصاحب العمل أن يحدد مواعيد هذه الإجازات وفقًا لمقتضيات العمل، أو يمنحها بالتناوب لكي يؤمن سير عمله، وعليه إشعار العامل بالميعاد المحدد لتمتعه بالإجازة بوقت كافٍ لا يقل عن ثلاثين يومًا.
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 109 explained in plain English
Article 109 of the Labor Law sets the minimum annual leave every worker is entitled to and lays down the basic rules for taking it. It is one of the articles that directly protect the worker, because what it provides is a minimum below which the employer may not go.
The length of leave and its pay:
- For each year of work the worker is entitled to annual leave of not less than 21 days.
- If the worker has spent 5 continuous years in the service of the same employer, the leave rises to not less than 30 days.
- The leave is paid, and its pay must be paid in advance before the leave starts, not after returning from it.
Rules for taking the leave:
- The rule is that the worker takes their leave in the year in which they became entitled to it, not accumulating it over years.
- The worker may not waive the leave, nor take a cash allowance for it during service instead of actually taking it; the purpose of leave is actual rest, and any agreement to replace it with money during employment is of no effect.
- Setting the date of the leave is the employer's right: it may set it according to the requirements of the work, or give leave to workers in turns so that work does not stop.
- In return, the employer must notify the worker of the date of their leave sufficiently in advance, not less than 30 days, so that the worker can arrange their affairs.
The relationship with Article 110: the rule of taking leave in the year of entitlement is not absolute; Article 110 permits the worker, with the employer's consent, to postpone their leave or part of it to the following year, and permits the employer to postpone it after the end of the year of entitlement for a period not exceeding 90 days if working conditions so require, and if postponement must continue, the worker's written consent is required, provided the postponement does not go beyond the end of the year following the year of entitlement.
If an employer refuses to grant leave or to pay for it in advance, or tries to make the worker replace it with a sum of money during service, the worker may claim their right, and it is advisable to consult a labor lawyer to assess their position and next steps.
Practical example
Ahmed has worked for a contracting company in Riyadh for 3 years, so he is entitled to annual leave of not less than 21 days. His manager offered him a sum of money instead of leave because the project was at a critical stage, but Article 109 does not permit replacing leave with money during service. What the manager can do is set the date of the leave to suit the work, or give it in turns among the workers, provided he notifies Ahmed of the date at least 30 days ahead and pays him the leave pay in advance. If it is not possible to grant it in its year, it can be postponed under the controls in Article 110. When Ahmed completes 5 continuous years at the company, his leave will rise to at least 30 days.
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 109 of the Saudi Labor Law
How long is annual leave under the Saudi Labor Law?
Not less than 21 days for each year of work, rising to not less than 30 days if the worker has spent 5 continuous years in the service of the same employer, under Article 109.
Can I take a cash allowance for annual leave instead of taking the leave?
No. Article 109 provides that the worker may not waive their leave or receive a cash allowance in place of getting it during their service.
Who sets the date of annual leave: the worker or the employer?
The employer sets the dates of leave according to the requirements of the work or gives it in turns, but it must notify the worker of the date sufficiently in advance, not less than 30 days.
When is annual leave pay paid?
Article 109 provides that the leave is with pay paid in advance, that is, before the worker begins to take it.
More articles on Leave
- 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 82
Article 82 bars an employer from ending a worker's service because of illness before the statutory sick leave periods are used up, and lets the worker ask to add annual leave to sick leave.
لا يجوز لصاحب العمل إنهاء خدمة العامل بسبب المرض، قبل استنفاذه المدد المحددة للإجازة المنصوص عليها في هذا النظام، وللعامل الحق في أن يطلب وصل إجازته السنوية بال
- Article 110
Article 110 allows annual leave, or part of it, to be postponed to the next year with the employer's consent, lets the employer postpone it for 90 days for work reasons, then longer only with the worker's written consent, up to the end of the next year.
1- للعامل بموافقة صاحب العمل أن يؤجل إجازته السنوية أو أيامًا منها إلى السنة التالية. 2 - لصاحب العمل حق تأجيل إجازة العامل بعد نهاية سنة استحقاقها إذا اقتضت ظر
- Article 111
Article 111 gives a worker who leaves work the right to pay for the days of earned annual leave not used, with parts of a year counted in proportion to the time actually worked.
للعامل الحق في الحصول على أجرة عن أيام الإجازة المستحقة إذا ترك العمل قبل استعماله لها، وذلك بالنسبة إلى المدة التي لم يحصل على إجازته عنها، كما يستحق أجرة الإج
- Article 112
Article 112 gives every worker the right to leave with full pay on the holidays and occasions set by the Implementing Regulations of the Labor Law.
لكل عامل الحق في إجازة بأجر كامل في الأعياد والمناسبات التي تحددها اللائحة.
- Article 113Amended by M/44
Article 113 gives a worker paid leave: 5 days for marriage or the death of a spouse, ascendant or descendant, 3 days for the death of a brother or sister, and 3 days on the birth of a child.
مع مراعاة إجازات المرأة العاملة المحددة بموجب هذا النظام، للعامل الحق في إجازة بأجر كامل لمدة (خمسة) أيام عند زواجه، أو في حالة وفاة زوجه أو أحد أصوله أو فروعه،
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.