Article 110 of the Saudi Labor Law
المادة 110 من نظام العمل · الباب السادس: شروط العمل وظروفه
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.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
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 ظروف العمل ذلك لمدة لا تزيد على تسعين يومًا، فإذا اقتضت ظروف العمل استمرار التأجيل وجب الحصول على موافقة العامل كتابة، على ألا يتعدى التأجيل نهاية السنة التالية لسنة استحقاق الإجازة.
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 110 explained in plain English
The rule set by Article 109 is that a worker must take their annual leave in the year of entitlement, and may not waive it or take a cash allowance for it during service. Article 110 regulates the exception to this rule, which is postponement of leave, in two cases:
- Postponement at the worker's request: a worker may postpone their annual leave in full or some days of it to the following year, but this is conditional on the employer's consent; the worker may not decide to carry it over on their own.
- Postponement by the employer's decision: if working conditions so require, the employer is entitled to postpone the worker's leave after the end of the year of entitlement for a period not exceeding 90 days without the need for the worker's consent. If working conditions continue and the employer needs a longer postponement, it must obtain the worker's written consent.
In all cases the article set a time ceiling that may not be exceeded: the postponement may not go beyond the end of the year following the year in which the leave was earned.
What this means in practice for the worker:
- If your employer asks you to postpone your leave after the end of the year of entitlement, the law gives it that power for 90 days only.
- After this period it cannot oblige you to postpone unless you consent in writing, and it is in your interest to document the consent and the agreed period.
- Postponement does not forfeit your right to the leave or to its pay; if you leave work before using the leave you are owed, Article 111 provides your right to receive pay for the leave days you did not get.
The article does not specify the effect of an employer going beyond the maximum postponement, so if a dispute arises over a postponed leave that was not granted on time, it is advisable to consult a lawyer who specializes in labor cases to assess the situation.
Practical example
Ahmed is an employee at a contracting company in Riyadh and became entitled to his annual leave for his first year of work. Because the company was at a project delivery stage, his manager asked him to postpone the leave; the company may do this for a period not exceeding 90 days after the end of the year of entitlement without Ahmed's consent. When that period ended and the company wanted to extend the postponement, this was possible only with Ahmed's written consent, and on condition that he takes the leave before the end of the following year. Conversely, if Ahmed himself wanted to carry 10 days of his leave over to next year to get a longer leave, he would first have to obtain the company's 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 110 of the Saudi Labor Law
Can an employer postpone my annual leave without my consent?
Yes, if working conditions so require, it may postpone it after the end of the year of entitlement for a period not exceeding 90 days. Any postponement after this period requires your written consent.
Can I carry my annual leave over to the next year?
Yes, you may postpone the leave in full or some days of it to the following year, but on condition that the employer consents.
What is the longest period to which annual leave can be postponed?
The postponement may not go beyond the end of the year following the year in which the leave was earned, even if the worker consents in writing to the postponement.
Can I take a cash allowance for postponed leave instead of taking it?
Article 109 prohibits receiving a cash allowance for leave during service. But if the worker leaves work before using the leave they are owed, Article 111 gives them pay for the leave days they did not get.
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 109
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.
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
- 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.

