Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH — Minister of Human Resources and Social Development Eng. Ahmed Al-Rajhi has approved regulations for agricultural and herding workers and those in similar positions, working for individual employers in their homes, private farms, or herding their livestock, excluding establishments.

The regulations include several benefits for the workers, including annual leave and weekly off. Employees are entitled to a minimum of 30 days of paid annual leave for each year of service. If the employment relationship ends before the employees are entitled to avail of their annual leave, they have the right to receive monetary compensation upon termination of the contract. The paid holidays include four days for Eid al-Fitr beginning from the 29th of Ramadan, in addition to the National Day and Founding Day holidays.

Furthermore, a worker may not be employed for more than 8 hours in any single day, nor may they work more than five consecutive hours on rest days without a break for rest and meals. A worker may not work more than five consecutive hours without a break of at least half an hour, and these rest periods are counted as part of working hours.

The employer must pay overtime pay equivalent to 50% of the employee's basic wage for any additional hours worked. Hours worked on holidays and official holidays are not considered overtime. Employees are entitled to a weekly paid rest day of at least 24 consecutive hours and are entitled to an alternative rest day if they are required to work on their weekly rest day.

According to the regulations, employers are prohibited from employing or hiring workers under the age of 21, or assigning them work not stipulated in the employment contract, or requiring them to work for others or for their own account, or assigning them work outside the profession specified in the contract and residency permit.

The two parties may agree to place the worker on a paid probationary period not exceeding 90 days from the date of commencement of employment. During this period, either party may terminate the contract. A worker may not be placed on probation more than once with the same employer. Termination of the contract during the probationary period is also permissible without compensation.

The regulations require the employer to provide a suitable residential place for the worker inside or outside the workplace, suitable food or a financial allowance for it, suitable means of transportation or a financial allowance for it if the place of residence is not close to the place of work, and not charging him any expenses related to entry visa, residency permit and exit and reentry, and not keeping the worker’s passport or any document related to identity and his personal belongings.

The employer is also responsible for meeting the expenses of the final procedures for burial or repatriation of the body of the worker in the event of death. The employer must not prevent the workers from contacting their family. Furthermore, the worker is not required to pay any fees or expenses related to the recruitment process.

The worker, in turn, must adhere to the agreed-upon work schedule, exercise due diligence in its execution, comply with all supervision and instructions, obey the employer's orders related to work performance, maintain punctuality, keep the employer's information confidential and not disclose it to others, and refrain from working for themselves or others during or after the term of the employment contract, as stipulated by applicable regulations