Article 200 of the Saudi Labor Law
المادة 200 من نظام العمل · الباب الثالث عشر: تفتيش العمل
Article 200 requires the labor inspector to notify the employer or his representative of his presence during inspection, unless he considers that the nature of the task requires not notifying.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
على من يقوم بالتفتيش أن يبلغ بحضوره صاحب العمل أو ممثله، وذلك ما لم ير أن المهمة التي يقوم من أجلها بالتفتيش تقتضي غير ذلك.
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 200 explained in plain English
Article 200 of the Labor Law regulates how a labor inspector begins his visit to a workplace. The rule is that the inspector notifies the employer or his representative of his presence, meaning inspection is carried out openly and with the establishment's knowledge, not covertly.
Who is bound by this article? The obligation here is directed to the one carrying out the inspection, that is, the labor inspector or the employee assigned to inspect, and not to the employer.
What is required? Notifying the employer of the inspector's presence, or notifying his representative if the employer is not present. The article does not require notifying the employer personally; notifying whoever represents him at the workplace is enough.
The exception: the inspector may refrain from notifying if he considers that the task he is carrying out requires it. The text leaves the assessment of this to the inspector himself, who decides whether announcing his presence could affect the purpose of the inspection. The article thus strikes a balance between informing the employer that an oversight body is at his establishment, and the effectiveness of inspection in cases where it is necessary to see the actual situation without prior notice.
How does it relate to neighboring articles?
- Article 199 requires employers and their agents and officials to provide the necessary facilities to inspectors, supply them with the data they request about the nature of their work, respond to requests to appear before them, and send a representative on their behalf if asked. The inspector's notification of his presence under Article 200 enables the employer to carry out these obligations.
- Article 201 gives the inspector the power to issue instructions to employers to amend work rules for devices and equipment within periods he sets, and to request immediate procedures when there is a danger threatening workers' health and safety.
In practice, an employer cannot object to the inspection on the ground that he was not notified in advance if the inspector assessed that the task requires not notifying, because the article itself permits that. Anyone with an objection to the way an inspection was carried out is advised to consult a lawyer specialized in labor cases.
Practical example
A labor inspector arrived at a factory in Dammam and went to the management office, informing the factory manager, as the employer's representative, of his presence and that he would be making an inspection tour. The manager accompanied him and provided him with the data he requested, as Article 199 requires. On another visit to an establishment in Jeddah, the inspector considered that the task he was assigned required seeing the actual state of work without prior notice, so he began his tour before notifying the employer, which Article 200 permits when the inspector assesses that the nature of the task calls for it.
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 200 of the Saudi Labor Law
Must a labor inspector notify the employer before inspection?
As a rule, yes. Article 200 requires the one carrying out the inspection to notify the employer or his representative of his presence. The exception is if the inspector considers that the task he is carrying out requires not notifying.
Is the inspector entitled to enter the establishment without notifying the employer?
Yes, if the inspector considers that the nature of the task for which he is inspecting requires not notifying. The article leaves the assessment of this to the inspector himself.
If the employer is absent, who does the inspector notify of his presence?
The article provides for notifying the employer or his representative, so notifying whoever represents the employer at the workplace is enough.
What is the employer's duty after being notified of the inspector's presence?
According to Article 199, the employer and his agents and officials must provide the necessary facilities to the inspector, supply him with the data he requests about the nature of their work, respond to requests to appear before him, and send a representative on their behalf if asked.
More articles on Labor Inspection
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Article 39 prevents a worker from working for anyone other than their employer or on their own account, and prevents an employer from employing another's worker, except by following the statutory rules and procedures, and regulates inspection and referral between the two ministries.
لايجوز -بغير اتباع القواعد والإجراءات النظامية المقررة- أن يترك صاحب العمل عامله يعمل لدى الغير أو يعمل لحسابه الخاص، ولايجوز للعامل أن يعمل لدى صاحب عمل آخر أو
- Article 190
The article requires the employer in mines and quarries to prepare a special register to record and account for workers before they enter the workplaces and when they leave them.
على صاحب العمل أن يعد سجلًّا خاصًّا لقيد العمال وحصرهم قبل دخولهم إلى أماكن العمل وعند خروجهم منها.
- Article 194Amended (1436 AH)
Article 194 assigns labor inspection to inspectors from the Ministry's employees or other Saudis specified by the Minister or his delegate, who hold the powers provided in the Law.
يتولى تفتيش العمل مفتشون من موظفي الوزارة، أو من غيرهم من السعوديين، يحددهم الوزير أو من يفوضه، وتكون لهم الصلاحيات والاختصاصات المنصوص عليها في هذا النظام.
- Article 196Amended by M/44
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يختص مفتشو العمل بما يأتي: 1- مراقبة تنفيذ أحكام هذا النظام واللائحة والقرارات الصادرة تنفيذاً له. 2- تزويد أصحاب العمل والعمال بالمعلومات والإرشادات الفنية الت
- Article 198Amended by M/44
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يحق لمفتشي العمل : 1- دخول أي منشأة خاضعة لأحكام نظام العمل في أي وقت من أوقات عمل المنشأة دون إشعار سابق. 2 - القيام بأي فحص أو تحقيق لازم للتحقق من سلامة تنفي
- Article 199Amended by M/44
Article 199 requires employers and their agents and officials to facilitate labor inspectors' work, provide the data requested, appear before them, and send a representative on request.
على أصحاب العمل ووكلائهم ومسؤوليهم في مكان العمل أن يقدموا للمفتشين والموظفين المكلفين بتفتيش العمل، التسهيلات اللازمة للقيام بأداء واجبهم، وأن يقدموا لهم ما يط
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.