Filing a Labor Case in Saudi Arabia: From Complaint to Labor Court

If your employer has not paid your wages or your end-of-service award, or dismissed you without a legitimate reason, your route starts with a labor complaint and, where needed, ends with a case before the Labor Court. This guide explains the steps in order: amicable settlement at the Ministry of Human Resources, referral to the Labor Court, then the judgment and its enforcement, along with the documents you need and the deadline you must not miss.

Step one: the complaint and amicable settlement

A labor case does not start directly in court. The complaint is first filed online through the amicable settlement services of the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development, and a settlement session is held between the employee and the employer, where an official tries to bring the two sides together.

• If you reach agreement: the agreement is documented and the dispute ends. The agreement is enforceable if either party breaches it.
• If you do not agree, or the employer does not attend: the case is referred to the Labor Court.

Read the negotiation tips in our guide to amicable settlement before the session.

Step two: the Labor Court

Labor Courts (المحاكم العمالية) hear disputes between employees and employers. In cities without a separate Labor Court, the labor circuits of the General Courts hear them. The case and its hearings are followed through Najiz (the Ministry of Justice e-services platform), and many hearings are held remotely.

1. Registering the case after referral from the settlement stage, with the specific claims and amounts.
2. Hearings: each party submits its memoranda and documents, and the court asks whatever it considers necessary.
3. Judgment: the court grants the claims, grants some of them, or rejects them.
4. Objection: either party may appeal within the statutory period, which is thirty days as a rule.
5. Enforcement: if the employer does not comply with the judgment, an enforcement request is filed with the Enforcement Court.

Hearings and filings are in Arabic, so documents in other languages need an Arabic translation. Our team can advise you in English throughout.

What can you claim in a labor case?

Documents you need

• The employment contract, or proof of the relationship if there is no written contract (payslips, messages, work ID card).
• Bank statements showing salaries paid and any delays.
• The dismissal letter, warnings or any correspondence about the end of the relationship.
• The establishment's details: name and commercial registration.

Watch the time limit

The Labor Law provides that claims relating to an employee's rights will not be heard after twelve months from the date the employment relationship ended. Do not wait long after leaving your job, even if you are negotiating with the employer.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a lawyer for a labor case?

It is not required, but a lawyer can identify everything you are owed precisely, draft the claims and memoranda, and deal with the employer's defenses, especially if the dismissal was under Article 80 or the amounts are large.

Can a foreign employee file a labor case?

Yes. Labor rights are the same for Saudis and non-Saudis, and the case can be followed online.

Can an employer file a case against an employee?

Yes. The employer can also claim its rights, such as compensation if the employee leaves before the end of a fixed-term contract without a legitimate reason.

Do you have a labor case?

The Usus Law Firm team handles labor cases for employees and employers, from the complaint and amicable settlement through to judgment and enforcement, in Riyadh and Tabuk. See also our guide to the Saudi Labor Law.

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.