Details of Flexible Work Regulation amendments

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Minister of Human Resources and Social Development (HRSD) Ahmed Al-Rajhi recently issued a decision to amend the Flexible Work Regulation.

On May 21, the Umm Al-Qura official gazette published details of Al-Rajhi’s decision to amend ministerial resolution no. (146481) dated 9/7/1441 AH on the Flexible Work Regulation issued under ministerial resolution no. (70273) dated 4/11/1440 AH.

The amendments include Article 27/2 to raise the number of working hours for a flexible worker to 160 hours per month per establishment. It also includes adding a full point for the establishment on the Nitaqat website upon completion of a total of 160 flexible work hours per worker or group of workers.

Article 27/10 was also amended to consider working hours that exceed 95 hours per month as overtime hours. Under an agreement between the two parties, the payroll may be similar to the basic hourly wage agreed upon in the employment contract, provided that the worker does not exceed 160 hours per month per employer.

The amendments also include Article 27/11, which states that any worker under this system has the right to approve or reject any request for work at any time without being held accountable.

In addition, a 12th paragraph was added to Article 27/2, stating that the contract duration under the Flexible Work Regulation shall not exceed one year, whether continuous or intermittent. If the period exceeds one year, the employer may extend or renew the contract as per the worker’s approval or terminate the employment contract subject to all provisions of the Labor Law.

Moreover, a 17th paragraph was added to Article 27/2, stipulating that flexible workers are subject to the provisions of the Labor Law with regard to remaining periods.

The decision shall come into effect from the date of its publication in the Official Gazette and the HRSD Ministry’s website.