Article 245 of the Saudi Labor Law
المادة 245 من نظام العمل · الباب السادس عشر: أحكام ختامية
The article provides that the Labor Law is published in the Official Gazette and takes effect 180 days after the date of its publication.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
ينشر هذا النظام في الجريدة الرسمية، ويعمل به بعد مائة وثمانين يومًا من تاريخ نشره.
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 245 explained in plain English
This is the last article of the Labor Law. It is a procedural article that sets how the Law enters into force. It does not create rights or obligations directly for the employer or the worker, but it determines when all the Law's other provisions begin to apply.
The article contains two matters:
- Publication in the Official Gazette: The Law becomes known and legally effective only by official publication, which lets employers and workers read its texts before it becomes binding.
- A transitional period of 180 days: The Law is not applied immediately upon publication but after one hundred and eighty days from the date of publication. The practical aim of this period is to give establishments, workers and government bodies enough time to bring their positions into line with the new provisions, such as amending contracts, internal regulations and work procedures.
This article is linked to Article 244, which provides that this Law replaces the Labor and Workmen Law issued by Royal Decree No. (M/21) dated 6/9/1389 AH and repeals whatever conflicts with it. Reading the two articles together: the old law remained in force during the 180 days, and the new Law then replaced it when they ended. Article 244 also provides that regulations and decisions issued before the Law took effect remain in force until they are amended, meaning they do not lapse automatically when the new Law begins to apply, provided they do not conflict with it.
What matters to the reader in practice is that the date of effect of the Law as issued is determined by taking its date of publication in the Official Gazette and adding 180 days, while provisions amended later by decrees have their own dates of effect. Where there is a dispute over which law applies to a particular event according to its date, it is advisable to consult a lawyer specializing in labor cases.
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 245 of the Saudi Labor Law
When does the Saudi Labor Law take effect?
Under Article 245, the Law takes effect 180 days after the date of its publication in the Official Gazette, not from the date of publication itself.
Why is there a 180-day period before the Law is applied?
The text does not state the reason for the period expressly, but the practical purpose of such periods is to give employers, workers and the bodies concerned time to bring their positions into line with the new provisions before they become binding.
What happens to regulations and decisions issued before the Law took effect?
Under Article 244, regulations and decisions issued before the Law took effect remain in force until amended, and whatever conflicts with the provisions of the new Law is repealed.
Does this Law repeal the old Labor and Workmen Law?
Yes. Article 244 provides that this Law replaces the Labor and Workmen Law issued by Royal Decree No. (M/21) dated 6/9/1389 AH, and this takes effect when the new Law begins to apply 180 days after its publication.
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.