Saudi Arabia applies amendments to part-time, flexible work regulations today

The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development applies today the amendments to the regulations and laws for implementing Article 120 of the Labor Law, related to part-time work and flexible work regulations, issued in May 2020.

A Saudi part-time worker is counted in the localization ratio according to the ratios approved in Nitaqat program, and is also registered in General Organization for Social Insurance (GOSI) as a part-time worker.

Meanwhile, flexible work means work performed by a part-time worker with one or more employers. The hourly wage is calculated, on the condition that the working hours for one employer are less than half of the working hours at the establishment (full-time worker). Flexible work contracts are limited to Saudis only.

The Ministry will determine the percentage of flexible work contracts according to the sectors and professions in the online portal.

As per the flexible work law, the employer is neither obligated to compensate the worker for any types of paid vacations, such as annual leave, anniversaries, and sick leave, nor with an end of service gratuity.

Moreover, the worker on the flexible work system has the right to agree or reject employer’s request to work at any time without taking any action against him.

According to data compiled by Argaam, the flexible work contracts will likely attract 20,000-30,000 Saudi citizens over the coming months, Ghazi Al-Shahrani, deputy minister of human resources and social development for Saudization, said.