Article 59 of the Saudi Labor Law
المادة 59 من نظام العمل · الباب الخامس: علاقات العمل
Article 59 prevents moving a worker from monthly wages to daily, weekly, piece-rate or hourly pay except with their written consent, while preserving their acquired rights.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
لا يجوز نقل العامل ذي الأجر الشهري إلى فئة عمال اليومية أو العمال المعينين بالأجر الأسبوعي أو بالقطعة أو بالساعة، إلا إذا وافق العامل على ذلك كتابة، ومع عدم الإخلال بالحقوق التي اكتسبها العامل في المدة التي قضاها بالأجر الشهري.
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 59 explained in plain English
This article protects a worker who is paid monthly from having the nature of their pay changed without their consent. A worker employed on monthly wages ordinarily enjoys stability of income, so the employer may not on its own move them to any of the following categories:
- Daily workers.
- Workers employed on weekly wages.
- Workers employed on a piece-rate basis.
- Workers employed on an hourly basis.
The Law requires two conditions together for this move to be valid:
- The worker's written consent: oral consent, silence or continuing to work is not enough; there must be written consent issued by the worker.
- No prejudice to acquired rights: everything the worker acquired in rights during the period spent on monthly wages remains preserved for them, and moving to the new category does not lead to its loss.
This article is consistent with what the two neighboring articles provide: Article 58 requires written consent to transfer a worker to a place of work that requires changing their place of residence, and Article 60 requires written consent to assign them to work that differs substantially from what was agreed. However, Articles 58 and 60 permit the employer, in cases of necessity arising from occasional circumstances, to dispense with the consent condition for a period not exceeding 30 days in the year, whereas Article 59 contains no similar exception, so changing the wage category always requires written consent.
In practice, if a worker is asked to move to daily or hourly pay, they may refuse without that being regarded as a violation on their part, and if they accept, the consent should be in writing and should document that they retain their previous rights. In the event of a dispute over the application of this article it is advisable to consult a lawyer specialized in labor cases.
Practical example
Ahmed has worked for a contracting company in Dammam on a fixed monthly salary for 4 years. The company decided to convert all site technicians to a daily wage system to reduce costs, and told Ahmed orally that his pay would be calculated by the day starting next month. Under Article 59 this change does not apply to Ahmed unless he agrees to it in writing, and he may refuse it and continue his work on the monthly wage. If Ahmed chooses to accept and signs his consent, the rights he acquired during the four years spent on the monthly wage remain preserved and may not be touched.
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 59 of the Saudi Labor Law
May an employer convert a worker from a monthly salary to daily or hourly pay?
No. Under Article 59 of the Labor Law, a worker on monthly wages may not be moved to the category of daily workers or weekly, piece-rate or hourly pay unless the worker agrees to it in writing.
Is the worker's oral consent enough to change the wage system?
No. Article 59 expressly requires the worker's consent to be in writing for them to be validly moved from monthly wages to another wage category.
What happens to the worker's previous rights if they agree to move to daily pay?
They remain preserved, since Article 59 provides that the move takes place without prejudice to the rights the worker acquired during the period spent on monthly wages.
Is there a case of necessity that permits changing the wage category without the worker's consent?
Article 59 contains no exception to the written consent condition, unlike Articles 58 and 60, which permit in cases of necessity assigning the worker to a different place or work for a period not exceeding 30 days in the year.
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إذا انتقلت ملكية المنشأة لمالك جديد، أو طرأ تغيير على شكلها النظامي بالدمج أو التجزئة أو غير ذلك، تبقى عقود العمل نافذة في الحالين، وتعد الخدمة مستمرة. أما بالن
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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.