Article 138 of the Saudi Labor Law
المادة 138 من نظام العمل · الباب الثامن: الوقاية من مخاطر العمل والوقاية من الحوادث الصناعية الكبرى وإصابات العمل والخدمات الصحية والاجتماعية
Article 138 sets work injury compensation: 3 years' wage with a minimum of SAR 54,000 for total permanent disability or death, and a percentage of that amount for partial permanent disability.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
إذا نتج عن الإصابة عجز دائم كلي، أو أدت الإصابة إلى وفاة المصاب، فللمصاب أو المستحقين عنه الحق في تعويض يقدر بما يعادل أجره عن مدة ثلاث سنوات بحد أدنى قدره أربعة وخمسون ألف ريال.
أما إذا نتج عن الإصابة عجز دائم جزئي، فإن المصاب يستحق تعويضًا معادلًا لنسبة ذلك العجز المقدر، وفقًا لجدول دليل نسب العجز المعتمد مضروبة في قيمة تعويض العجز الدائم الكلي.
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 138 explained in plain English
Article 138 of the Labor Law regulates the compensation a worker or their heirs are entitled to when a work injury leads to a permanent outcome from which recovery is not expected. It complements Article 137, which deals with temporary disability during the period of treatment.
First: total permanent disability or death
- If the injury results in total permanent disability, the injured worker is entitled to compensation equal to their wage for a period of three years.
- If the injury leads to the worker's death, the right to the same compensation passes to those entitled through them.
- In both cases the compensation may not be less than SAR 54,000; if the worker's wage for three years is less than this amount, the compensation is raised to the minimum.
Second: partial permanent disability
- The percentage of disability is determined according to the approved disability percentage guide table; the law itself does not set these percentages.
- The compensation is calculated by multiplying this percentage by the value of compensation for total permanent disability (that is, three years' wage or SAR 54,000, whichever is greater).
How does the article relate to its neighbors?
- Under Article 137, if the period of treatment reaches a full year, or it is decided medically that recovery is not expected and the worker is unable to work, the injury is treated as total disability, the contract ends and the worker is compensated under Article 138, without the employer recovering what it paid during that year.
- Article 139 provides for cases in which the employer is exempt from this compensation, namely: where the worker deliberately injured themselves, or the injury occurred because of their intentional misconduct, or they refused without legitimate reason to present themselves to a doctor or to accept the prescribed treatment.
In practice, the worker or their family should document the injury, the treatment reports and the medical report that sets the percentage of disability, because this percentage is the basis for calculating the compensation. If there is a dispute over the percentage or the amount of wage used, it is advisable to consult a lawyer who specializes in labor cases.
Practical example
Ahmed works at a factory in Dammam on a monthly wage of SAR 4,000, and suffered a work injury that led to partial permanent disability assessed at 25% under the approved disability percentage guide table. The value of total disability compensation is calculated first: 4,000 × 36 months = SAR 144,000, which is higher than the minimum of SAR 54,000. This amount is then multiplied by the disability percentage: 144,000 × 25% = SAR 36,000, which is Ahmed's compensation. If, however, his colleague Salem's wage were SAR 1,200 a month and he suffered total permanent disability, his three years' wage (SAR 43,200) would be below the minimum, so he would be entitled to the full SAR 54,000.
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 138 of the Saudi Labor Law
How much is work injury compensation in the case of death or total permanent disability?
Under Article 138, the injured person or those entitled through them are entitled to compensation equal to their wage for a period of three years, with a minimum of SAR 54,000.
How is compensation for partial permanent disability calculated?
The percentage of disability is determined according to the approved disability percentage guide table, and this percentage is then multiplied by the value of compensation for total permanent disability (three years' wage with a minimum of SAR 54,000).
When is an injury treated as total permanent disability?
Under Article 137, if the period of treatment reaches a full year, or it is decided medically that recovery is not expected and the worker is unable to work, the injury is treated as total disability, the contract ends and the worker is compensated.
Can the employer be exempt from paying injury compensation?
Yes. Article 139 exempts it if it is proven that the worker deliberately injured themselves, or the injury occurred because of their intentional misconduct, or they refused without legitimate reason to present themselves to a doctor or accept the prescribed treatment.
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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.