Article 75 of the Saudi Labour Law governs ending an indefinite (open-ended) contract for a valid reason: who notifies whom, how many days ahead, and what happens if notice is not given. It was amended in the Labour Law changes applied from February 2025, so the worker's notice period is now shorter than the employer's.
Notice periods after the amendment
| Wage | If the worker ends the contract | If the employer ends the contract |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly wage | At least 30 days | At least 60 days |
| Non-monthly wage (daily, weekly...) | At least 30 days | At least 30 days |
Notice must be in writing and based on a valid reason; the contract may set a longer period but not a shorter one. Before the amendment it was 60 days for both sides on a monthly wage. Periods as announced in the 2025 amendments; check the latest official text, as some categories may differ.
What if notice is not observed?
The party ending the contract without notice, or before the notice runs out, must pay the other the wage for the notice period or what remains of it, based on the last wage.
Notice, end-of-service award and compensation are three different rights
- Pay in lieu of notice (Article 75): due when notice is not observed.
- End-of-service award: a separate right; see Article 84 and the end-of-service calculator.
- Compensation for unlawful termination: where there is no valid reason; see Article 77 and the Article 77 calculator.
Examples
| Case | Result |
|---|---|
| A monthly-paid worker resigns with 30 days' notice | Valid notice after the amendment |
| An employer ends a monthly-paid worker's contract with only 30 days' notice | Owes 30 more days' wages (60 are required) |
| A worker leaves immediately without notice | May be asked to pay the notice wage |
When Article 75 does not apply
- Fixed-term contracts end on their date; early termination falls under Article 77 and the contract.
- Probation has its own rules; see the probation period.
- Dismissal without award or notice under Article 80, and a worker leaving for the employer's breach under Article 81.
Read resignation and ending employment and Article 74.
A dispute over notice or dues?
The Usus Law Firm team handles labour cases for workers and employers, in Riyadh and Tabuk.
This article is general legal information and is not a substitute for advice on your specific case. Court proceedings in Saudi Arabia are in Arabic; the official Arabic text of each law prevails.
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