Article 11 of the Saudi Labor Law
المادة 11 من نظام العمل · الفصل الأول: التعريفات
Article 11 requires anyone entrusted with the employer's original work, or part of it, to give his own workers all the rights and benefits that the original employer gives his workers.
Official text after amendments (Arabic)
Compiled from the original text and every officially published amendment; the amendments are shown in full below for comparison.
إذا عهد صاحب العمل لأي شخص طبيعي أو معنوي القيام بعمل من أعماله الأصلية، أو جزء منها؛ وجب على الأخير أن يعطي عماله جميع الحقوق والمزايا التي يعطيها صاحب العمل الأصلي لعماله.
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 11 explained in plain English
Article 11 of the Labor Law deals with a common situation in the labor market: an employer assigns the carrying out of his activity to another party instead of carrying it out with his workers directly, which is known in practice as subcontracting or outsourcing. The article aims to ensure that this assignment does not lead to discrimination in treatment between workers who do the same work.
When does the article apply? The text requires two things:
- The employer entrusts the work to another person, whether a natural person (an individual) or a legal person (a company or institution).
- The subject matter of the assignment is part or all of his original work, meaning the activity on which the establishment's business is based, not incidental or supporting work. The text does not define original work, so assessing it depends on the nature of the establishment's activity in each case.
On whom does the obligation fall? By the text of the article the obligation falls on the party to whom the work was assigned (the contractor or undertaker), who is bound to give his workers all the rights and benefits that the original employer gives his workers, and he may not argue that he is an independent employer in order to offer lesser terms.
What is the scope of the rights covered? The text uses the phrase "all rights and benefits", so it is not limited to the minimum set in the law but extends to what the original employer actually gives his workers, including the benefits that his work organization regulation may contain, which is the regulation whose models and approval controls the Ministry sets under Article 12.
What should the worker do? If a worker works for a contractor carrying out original work for another establishment, and finds that his colleagues belonging to the original establishment get benefits he does not, this article is his basis for demanding equality. Because determining what counts as original work and proving the benefits granted may differ from case to case, it is advisable to consult a labor lawyer before taking any step.
The wording now in force of this article was issued by Royal Decree No. M/46 dated 5/6/1436 AH, and it is the wording currently adopted.
Practical example
A contracting company in Riyadh contracted with a small firm to carry out construction work on one of its projects, work that represents the company's original activity. Ahmed works for the small firm at the same site where the company's workers work directly, but he noticed that the company's workers receive a housing allowance and medical insurance that he does not. Under Article 11, the firm that Ahmed works for is bound to give him the same rights and benefits that the original company gives its workers, because the work assigned to it is original work of the company.
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 11 of the Saudi Labor Law
Does Article 11 apply to any work an employer assigns to another party?
No. The text limits the rule to assigning original work of the employer or part of it, and by its express wording it does not include non-original work.
Who is bound to give the rights and benefits: the original employer or the contractor?
By the text of the article, the person, natural or legal, to whom the work was entrusted is bound, as he must give his workers all the rights and benefits that the original employer gives his workers.
Is the obligation limited to wages or does it include other benefits?
The text speaks of "all rights and benefits" without specification, so it includes everything the original employer gives his workers of rights and benefits.
Does the article apply if the contractor is an individual and not a company?
Yes. The article covers any natural or legal person to whom the work is entrusted, meaning individuals, companies and institutions alike.
Amendment history
Royal Decree No. M/46 — 5/6/1436 AH
Official amendment text (Arabic)
تم تعديل هذه المادة بموجب المرسوم الملكي رقم ( م/ 46) وتاريخ 5 / 6 / 1436 هـ ؛ لتكون بالنص الآتي :
"إذا عهد صاحب العمل لأي شخص طبيعي أو معنوي القيام بعمل من أعماله الأصلية، أو جزء منها؛ وجب على الأخير أن يعطي عماله جميع الحقوق والمزايا التي يعطيها صاحب العمل الأصلي لعماله".
Royal Decree No. M/46 — 5/6/1436 AH
Official amendment text (Arabic)
تم إضافة مادة تحمل الرقم (الحادية عشرة مكرر) بموجب المرسوم الملكي رقم ( م/ 46) وتاريخ 5 / 6 / 1436 هـ ؛ بالنص الآتي :
"مع عدم الإخلال بأحكام هذا النظام والأنظمة ذات العلاقة؛ للوزير أن يتخذ الإجراءات التي من شأنها أن تكفل تحسين أداء سوق العمل، وتنظيم حركة انتقال الأيدي العاملة".
Original text before the amendments (Arabic)
1- إذا عهد صاحب العمل لأي شخص طبيعي أو معنوي القيام بعمل من أعماله الأصلية، أو جزء منها وجب على الأخير أن يعطي عماله كافة الحقوق والمزايا التي يعطيها صاحب العمل الأصلي لعماله، ويكونان مسؤولين عنها بالتضامن فيما بينهما.
2 - إذا تعدد أصحاب العمل كانوا مسؤولين بالتضامن فيما بينهم عن الوفاء بالالتزامات الناشئة عن هذا النظام وعقود العمل.
More articles on Definitions and General Provisions of the Labor Law
- Article 1
Article 1 gives this law its official name, the "Labor Law", the name used in contracts, decisions and all other articles of the law.
يسمى هذا النظام نظام العمل.
- 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
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.