Arab Press

بالشعب و للشعب
Friday, Aug 22, 2025

Saudi ministry mulls two-day weekend for all private-sector workers

Saudi ministry mulls two-day weekend for all private-sector workers

Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development has said that it is studying the prospects of amending the Labor Law article related to working hours to increase the weekly off to two days for all workers in the private sector.
“The ministry is keen on taking all the measures that serve the interests of the workers and the labor market in a way that contributes to achieving the government’s objectives and the labor market strategy in light of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030,” Saad Al-Hammad, spokesman for the ministry, said while reacting to the demand of private sector employees to review the official working hours and applying the weekly off to two days for all sections of workers in the private sector.

Al-Hammad said that the ministry had previously worked on proposed amendments to the Labor Law and had put forward these for feedback through a public opinion poll platform.

Regarding the repeated demands that the Ministry of Human Resources has to take a firm decision on implementing the two-day weekend for private sector employees and reduce working hours so as to attract Saudis to the job market, the spokesman said: “If there are any developments related to the ministry, it will be published via its official website as well as its social media accounts.”

On her part, lawyer and legal consultant Kholoud Al-Ahmadi said that Article 98 of the Labor Law affirmed that it was not permissible for the worker to actually work for more than eight hours per day, if the employer adopts the daily criterion, or more than 48 hours per week, if the weekly criterion is adopted. Actual working hours are reduced during Ramadan, as these do not exceed six hours per day, or 36 hours per week.

Al-Ahmadi noted that Article 99 of the Labor Law clearly showed that the working hours stipulated in Article 98 of the law could be increased to nine hours per day for some categories of workers, or in some industries and jobs in which the worker does not work continuously. It could also be reduced up to seven hours per day for some categories of workers or in some industries and jobs that are dangerous or harmful. The categories of workers, industries and jobs referred to are determined by a decision of the minister of human resources.

Meanwhile, Article 100 of the law permits the employer, with the approval of the ministry, to increase working hours to eight hours per day or 48 hours per week in those establishments where the nature of work requires performing work in rotation, and this is with the condition that the average working hours do not exceed eight hours a day or 48 hours a week.

Al-Ahmadi indicated that Article 101 of the Labor Law has been amended to read as follows: “Working hours and rest periods are regulated during the day, so that the worker does not work for more than five consecutive hours without a period of rest, prayer and food of not less than half an hour at a time during the total working hours, and so that the worker does not remain at the workplace for more than 12 hours per day.”

She pointed out that the Labor Law granted the employer exceptions in giving weekly off during occasions such as the annual inventory work, budget preparation, liquidation of establishment, closing accounts, preparing for discount sale, preparing for seasons, holidays and other occasions and seasonal work, provided that the number of days in which workers are required to work for such occasions does not exceed 30 days per year.

In all cases, the actual working hours may not exceed 10 hours per day or 60 hours per week. The minister shall take a decision with regard to the maximum number of additional working hours allowed per year.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Arab Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Dogfights in the Skies: Airbus on Track to Overtake Boeing and Claim Aviation Supremacy
Tim Cook Promises an AI Revolution at Apple: "One of the Most Significant Technologies of Our Generation"
Are AI Data Centres the Infrastructure of the Future or the Next Crisis?
Miles Worth Billions: How Airlines Generate Huge Profits
Zelenskyy Returns to White House Flanked by European Allies as Trump Pressures Land-Swap Deal with Putin
Beijing is moving into gold and other assets, diversifying away from the dollar
Trump Backs Putin’s Land-for-Peace Proposal Amid Kyiv’s Rejection
Zelenskyy to Visit Washington after Trump–Putin Summit Yields No Agreement
Iranian Protection Offers Chinese Vehicle Shipments a Cost Advantage over Japanese and Korean Makers
United States Sells Luxury Yacht Amadea, Valued at Approximately $325 Million, in First Sale of a Seized Russian Yacht Since the Invasion of Ukraine
Saudi Arabia accelerates renewables to curb domestic oil use
Cristiano Ronaldo and Georgina Rodríguez announce engagement
Asia-Pacific dominates world’s busiest flight routes, with South Korea’s Jeju–Seoul corridor leading global rankings
Private Welsh island with 19th-century fort listed for sale at over £3 million
Sam Altman challenges Elon Musk with plans for Neuralink rival
Australia to Recognize the State of Palestine at UN Assembly
The Collapse of the Programmer Dream: AI Experts Now the Real High-Earners
Armenia and Azerbaijan to Sign US-Brokered Framework Agreement for Nakhchivan Corridor
British Labour Government Utilizes Counter-Terrorism Tools for Social Media Monitoring Against Legitimate Critics
WhatsApp Deletes 6.8 Million Scam Accounts Amid Rising Global Fraud
Texas Residents Face Water Restrictions While AI Data Centers Consume Millions of Gallons
India Rejects U.S. Tariff Threat, Defends Russian Oil Purchases
United States Establishes Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and Digital Asset Stockpile
Thousands of Private ChatGPT Conversations Accidentally Indexed by Google
China Tightens Mineral Controls, Curtailing Critical Inputs for Western Defence Contractors
JPMorgan and Coinbase Unveil Partnership to Let Chase Cardholders Buy Crypto Directly
British Tourist Dies Following Hair Transplant in Turkey, Police Investigate
WhatsApp Users Targeted in New Scam Involving Account Takeovers
Trump Deploys Nuclear Submarines After Threats from Former Russian President Medvedev
Germany’s Economic Breakdown and the Return of Militarization: From Industrial Collapse to a New Offensive Strategy
Germany Enters Fiscal Crisis as Cabinet Approves €174 Billion in New Debt
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
President Trump Diagnosed with Chronic Venous Insufficiency After Leg Swelling
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
Iranian President Reportedly Injured During Israeli Strike on Secret Facility
Kurdistan Workers Party Takes Symbolic Step Towards Peace in Northern Iraq
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Russia Formally Recognizes Taliban Government in Afghanistan
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Mediators Edge Closer to Israel-Hamas Ceasefire Agreement
Germany Seeks Taliban Deal to Deport Afghan Migrants
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
×