Resigning from a job in Saudi Arabia involves more than simply informing your employer that you want to leave. The Saudi Labor Law sets clear rules regarding resignation requests, employer responses, waiting periods, withdrawal of resignation, and end-of-service benefits.
One of the most important rules is that an employer cannot keep a resignation request unresolved forever. If the employer does not respond within the period specified by law, the resignation can be treated as accepted.
How Does Resignation Work in Saudi Arabia?
Under the Saudi Labor Law, resignation is recognized as one of the ways an employment contract can come to an end.
The law describes resignation in the context of a worker voluntarily and in writing expressing the desire to terminate a fixed-term employment contract.
Article 74 also specifically recognizes resignation as a reason for terminating an employment contract.
This means employees should submit their resignation formally and keep evidence showing when the request was submitted.
What Happens If Your Employer Does Not Accept Your Resignation?
An employer does not have unlimited time to decide what to do with a resignation request.
Under Article 79 bis of the Saudi Labor Law, if an employer does not respond to a resignation request within 30 days of its submission, the resignation is considered accepted.
For example, if an employee submits a resignation and receives neither an acceptance nor a valid postponement during the following 30 days, the resignation becomes accepted under the procedure established by the law.
Therefore, an employee does not necessarily need to wait indefinitely for an explicit approval from the employer.
Can an Employer Delay a Resignation?
Yes. Saudi Labor Law allows an employer to postpone acceptance when the interests of the work require it.
The postponement can be for a maximum of 60 days.
However, certain requirements apply. The employer must provide the employee with a written explanation for the postponement, and this must be done before the original 30-day response period expires.
The postponement period is calculated from the date on which the written explanation is provided to the employee.
Therefore, simply ignoring the resignation or verbally telling an employee that they cannot resign is not the same as following the statutory postponement procedure.
When Does the Employment Contract End After Resignation?
Submitting the resignation request does not automatically end the employment contract on the same day.
According to Article 79 bis, the contract can end when:
- The employer accepts the resignation.
- 30 days pass after submission without a response from the employer.
- An employer has validly postponed acceptance and the applicable postponement period expires.
Until the employment relationship legally ends, the employment contract continues to operate.
Should You Continue Working After Submitting Your Resignation?
Yes. Employees should normally continue performing their work while their resignation request is being processed.
Article 79 bis states that the employment contract remains valid during the resignation request period.
This means both the worker and the employer remain responsible for fulfilling their contractual obligations during that time.
Simply submitting a resignation should therefore not be treated as permission to immediately stop attending work.
Can an Employee Cancel a Resignation?
Saudi Labor Law provides employees with a limited opportunity to withdraw a resignation request.
A worker may withdraw the resignation within 7 days from the date it was submitted, as long as the employer has not already accepted it.
If the employer accepts the resignation before the employee withdraws it, this particular withdrawal right no longer applies.
Employees who change their mind should therefore act quickly.
Can You Choose a Future Resignation Date?
Article 79 bis provides that a deferred resignation date should not be specified in the resignation request.
Instead, the termination date is determined according to the resignation process established under Saudi Labor Law, including acceptance, the 30-day period, or an applicable postponement period.
Resignation vs. Termination of an Indefinite Contract
Employees should also understand that resignation rules and the termination rules for indefinite-term contracts are related but distinct concepts under the Labor Law.
Article 75 regulates the termination of indefinite-term employment contracts and establishes written notice requirements.
For a monthly-paid employee who terminates an indefinite-term contract for a legitimate reason, the employee generally needs to provide at least 30 days’ written notice.
When the employer terminates the indefinite contract of a monthly-paid worker, at least 60 days’ notice applies.
For workers whose wages are not paid monthly, the applicable written notice is generally at least 30 days.
Article 76 also addresses situations where the required notice is not observed. Unless greater compensation has been agreed, the party that fails to observe the required notice may have to compensate the other party for the unobserved notice period.
End-of-Service Benefits After Resignation
Resigning does not automatically mean that an employee loses all end-of-service benefits.
The amount payable can depend heavily on how long the employee has continuously worked for the employer.
Under Article 85, resignation-based end-of-service award entitlement generally works as follows:
| Length of Continuous Service | Resignation-Based EOSB |
|---|---|
| Less than 2 years | No entitlement under the Article 85 resignation calculation |
| 2 to 5 years | One-third of the award |
| More than 5 but less than 10 years | Two-thirds of the award |
| 10 years or more | Full award |
The standard end-of-service award itself is generally calculated under Article 84 using half a month’s wage for each of the first five years and one month’s wage for each subsequent year, based on the last wage, with proportional entitlement for fractions of a year.
Other provisions of the Labor Law can affect entitlement in specific circumstances.
How Soon Must Final Salary and Dues Be Paid?
Saudi Labor Law also sets a timeframe for settling an employee’s financial rights after the employment relationship ends.
Under Article 88, when the employee ends the employment contract, the employer must settle the employee’s entitlements within a period not exceeding two weeks.
The employer may deduct legitimate amounts owed by the employee because of work from the employee’s outstanding entitlements.
Employees should review their final settlement carefully, including outstanding salary and any applicable end-of-service benefits or other contractual entitlements.
Can an Employee Leave Without Notice?
There are certain circumstances where Saudi Labor Law allows an employee to leave work without giving notice while retaining statutory rights.
Article 81 covers specific situations, including cases where the employer:
- Fails to meet essential contractual or legal obligations toward the employee.
- Misleads the employee regarding important employment terms or working conditions.
- Assigns substantially different work contrary to the applicable legal requirements.
- Subjects the worker to certain forms of violence, abuse, injustice, or humiliating treatment.
- Fails to address a serious workplace danger despite being aware of it.
- Acts in a way that effectively forces the employee to appear as though they voluntarily ended the contract.
These circumstances are different from an ordinary resignation. Employees considering leaving under Article 81 should therefore understand which legal provision applies to their particular situation.
What Should You Do When Submitting a Resignation?
A resignation should be submitted in a way that creates a clear record.
Keep a copy of the written resignation and evidence of the submission date. Also retain any written response from the employer, particularly if the employer postpones acceptance.
These records can be important because the resignation timelines are calculated using specific dates.
Employees should also continue complying with their employment obligations until the employment relationship has legally ended.
Final Words
Saudi Arabia’s resignation rules establish clear procedures for both employees and employers.
Most importantly, a resignation cannot simply remain unanswered indefinitely. If an employer does not respond within 30 days, the resignation is considered accepted. Where business interests require additional time, the employer may postpone acceptance for up to 60 days, provided the employee receives the required written explanation within the initial 30-day period.
Employees can also withdraw their resignation within 7 days, provided it has not already been accepted.
Because contract type, notice requirements, length of service, and the reason for leaving can affect an employee’s rights, workers should review their employment contract together with the applicable provisions of Saudi Labor Law before completing the resignation process.
This article is provided for general informational purposes and should not be considered individual legal advice.
