Article 15 of the Saudi Labor Law

Article 15 of the Labor Law imposes on the employer an administrative duty that begins when activity starts in any establishment: to notify the competent labor office in writing of a specified set of data. The practical aim is that the establishment is known to the competent body from day one, which makes it easier to contact it and to follow its compliance with the law's provisions toward its workers.

The data that must be notified, according to the text of the article, are:

1. Identifying data of the establishment: its name, type and head office, the address to which correspondence is directed, and any information that facilitates contacting it.
2. The licensed economic activity: stating the number and date of the commercial register or license and the body that issued it, and attaching a copy of it.
3. The number of workers to be employed in the establishment.
4. The name of the establishment's responsible manager.
5. Any other data the Ministry requests, meaning the list can be added to as the Ministry determines.

Note that the article requires the notification to be in writing and to be made when work begins, without setting a time limit in days or a particular penalty; these matters are not detailed in the text of the article itself.

This article is closely linked to Article 16, which completes its fourth item: if the employer cannot carry on the work himself he must appoint a person who represents him at the workplace, and where there are multiple partners or managers one of those resident at the workplace is named as the employer's representative. Article 16 also requires the employer to notify the labor office in writing of the name of the partner or manager, and to notify it of any change within 7 days at most of the new person taking up his work. Even so, the employer's responsibility remains in place as a primary matter in all cases.

For the worker, this article shows that the establishment he works in is supposed to be registered with the labor office with clear data and a known responsible manager, which makes it easier for him to know the party he deals with and to turn to in any dispute. Where there is doubt about the application of these obligations in a particular case, it is advisable to consult a lawyer who specializes in labor cases.