Ramadan working hours private sector Saudi Arabia: rules and rosters
What Article 98 says about Ramadan hours, who it covers, how overtime is paid if a Muslim worker works longer, and a practical way to plan rosters for mixed teams.
Last updated · 3 min read
Ramadan working hours in the Saudi private sector are at most 6 hours a day and 36 hours a week for Muslim workers, instead of 8 and 48 (Article 98). The monthly wage stays the same. Hours a Muslim worker does beyond that are overtime under Article 107. Non-Muslim staff keep normal hours unless the employer decides otherwise.
Key takeaways
- Muslim workers: at most 6 hours a day and 36 a week during Ramadan (Article 98).
- The reduced hours do not reduce the monthly wage.
- A seventh hour for a Muslim worker is overtime: hourly wage plus 50% of the basic hourly wage.
- The month's dates follow the official announcement; plan rosters before it starts.
This is general information to help you understand the topic. It is not legal advice. Rules and rates change: always check the official text on the relevant authority’s platform and consult a qualified adviser before acting.
Every year, Ramadan changes the working day for most private-sector teams in Saudi Arabia. The rule itself is short; the work is in applying it to rosters, attendance and payroll, especially in teams with both Muslim and non-Muslim staff. This guide explains the rule and how to plan for it.
What the law says (Article 98)
Article 98 of the Labour Law sets the normal limits at 8 hours a day or 48 hours a week. During Ramadan, working hours for Muslim workers are reduced to at most:
- 6 hours a day, and
- 36 hours a week.
The reduction is in hours, not in pay: the agreed monthly wage is paid in full.
When Ramadan starts
The start and end of Ramadan, and the Eid al-Fitr holiday that follows, are set by the official announcement each year. Do not fix the dates in a policy in advance; prepare the roster so it can switch on the announced date.
Non-Muslim staff
Article 98 refers to Muslim workers, so non-Muslim staff keep their normal hours unless the establishment decides otherwise. Many employers apply the shorter hours to everyone for simplicity or fairness; that is the employer's decision. Whatever you choose, state it in the announcement to staff so nobody has to guess.
Overtime in Ramadan
For a Muslim worker in Ramadan, any hour beyond 6 a day (or 36 a week) is overtime, paid under Article 107 at the hourly wage plus 50% of the basic hourly wage. Hours worked on the Eid holiday are also overtime.
Example. Actual monthly wage 10,000 SAR, basic wage 8,000 SAR. A Muslim employee works 7 hours a day for 20 working days in Ramadan.
- Hourly wage: 10,000 ÷ 30 ÷ 8 = 41.67 SAR
- Basic hourly wage: 8,000 ÷ 30 ÷ 8 = 33.33 SAR
- Overtime hourly rate: 41.67 + 50% × 33.33 = 58.33 SAR
- Overtime hours: 1 a day × 20 days = 20 hours
- Overtime pay: 20 × 58.33 = 1,166.67 SAR, on top of the normal monthly wage
The divisor of 30 days and 8 hours is a common method; your contract or work regulation may set another.
Time off instead of pay. With the employee's consent, overtime may be compensated with paid time off: at least 1.5 hours for each overtime hour, taken within 60 days unless agreed otherwise, up to 30 days a year. In the example, 20 overtime hours would earn at least 30 hours off.
Work out any case with the Ramadan hours and overtime calculator.
Planning the roster
- List who is covered. Mark Muslim employees in the attendance system so the 6-hour limit applies to them.
- Choose the shift pattern. Six hours a day over a five-day week is 30 hours; over a six-day week it is the full 36. Set shift start times that suit the business and the fast.
- Cover the remaining hours. In customer-facing teams, use non-Muslim staff on normal hours, staggered shifts, or evening shifts after iftar, rather than a routine seventh hour.
- Budget any overtime. If longer days are unavoidable, agree them in advance, record them, and pay them or give time off as above.
- Update attendance and payroll. Switch the attendance rules on the announced first day and back after Ramadan, so late arrivals and overtime are measured against the right limit.
- Announce it. Tell staff the hours, who they apply to and the Eid holiday as officially announced. The HR announcement writer can draft the message.
Common mistakes
- Treating the seventh hour as part of the shift instead of overtime.
- Reducing pay because hours are shorter.
- Leaving the attendance system on the normal 8-hour rule, so Muslim staff appear to leave early.
- Fixing Ramadan dates in advance instead of following the official announcement.
How RafiqHR helps
RafiqHR applies Ramadan hours to shifts and rosters, works out overtime from attendance records, and explains the overtime arithmetic on the payslip.
Frequently asked questions
What are Ramadan working hours in the Saudi private sector?
Under Article 98 of the Labour Law, working hours for Muslim workers during Ramadan are at most six hours a day and 36 hours a week. Outside Ramadan, the limits are eight hours a day and 48 a week.
Do Ramadan hours apply to non-Muslim employees?
Article 98 refers to Muslim workers, so non-Muslim employees keep their normal hours unless the establishment decides otherwise. Some employers apply the shorter hours to everyone by an internal decision, which they may do.
Is the salary reduced in Ramadan because of the shorter hours?
No. The shorter hours are set by the law, and the agreed monthly wage stays the same. If a Muslim worker works beyond six hours in a day, the extra hours are overtime and are paid under Article 107.
This is general information to help you understand the topic. It is not legal advice. Rules and rates change: always check the official text on the relevant authority’s platform and consult a qualified adviser before acting.
