Article 65 of the Saudi Labor Law

Article 65 of the Labor Law sets out the basic duties that every worker owes to the employer. These duties are in addition to what appears in the other articles of the Law and the regulations and decisions issued in implementation of it, so they are not an exhaustive list.

The six duties can be summarized as follows:

1. Performing the work skillfully according to the principles of the profession and the employer's instructions, provided that these instructions do not conflict with the contract, the Law or public morals, and that carrying them out does not involve danger.
2. Taking sufficient care of the establishment's property, such as machines, tools, equipment and raw materials placed at the worker's disposal or in their custody, and returning unconsumed materials to the employer.
3. Observing good conduct and morals during work.
4. Giving every help and assistance in disasters and dangers that threaten the safety of the workplace or the persons working in it, without requiring extra pay for doing so.
5. Undergoing the medical examinations that the employer requests before joining work or during it, to verify that the worker is free of occupational or contagious diseases.
6. Keeping the technical, commercial and industrial secrets of the materials the worker produces or contributes to producing directly or indirectly, and all professional secrets whose disclosure would harm the employer's interest.

It is important to note that the duty to carry out instructions in item one is not absolute; the worker is not bound to carry out instructions that conflict with the contract, the Law or public morals, or whose execution would expose them to danger. Likewise, the duty to keep secrets in item six relates to secrets whose disclosure harms the employer, and not to every piece of information about the establishment.

This article is linked to Article 66, which sets out the disciplinary sanctions the employer may impose on the worker, namely a warning, a fine, deprivation of an allowance or its postponement, postponement of promotion, and suspension from work with deprivation of wages, up to dismissal in the cases set in the Law. In return, Article 64 sets out the employer's obligations at the end of the contract, such as giving the worker a service certificate and returning their documents, reflecting the balance between the duties of the two parties. Where a dispute arises over whether the worker has breached one of these duties, it is advisable to consult a lawyer specialized in labor cases.