The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is currently exploring the possibility of amending the Labor Law to increase the number of days off for workers in the private sector. This move is in line with the government’s objectives outlined in the Vision 2030 plan, which aims to improve the quality of life for all Saudis.
Currently, the Labor Law stipulates that workers are entitled to a daily rest period of at least half an hour, and a weekly rest period of one day. However, there have been calls from private-sector employees to increase the weekly rest period to two days, in order to align with the rest of the GCC countries.
The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development is currently studying the feasibility of such a change, and has sought public feedback on the matter. However, no decisions have been made as of yet.
Lawyer and legal consultant Kholoud Al-Ahmadi explained that the current Labor Law includes provisions for exceptions to the weekly rest period, such as in the case of seasonal work or annual inventory. However, she stressed that in all cases, the actual working hours may not exceed 10 hours per day or 60 hours per week.
It remains to be seen whether the Saudi government will make the amendment to the Labor Law, but it is clear that they are taking the concerns of workers into consideration.