Saudi Labour Law Article 117: sick leave and sick pay
Not changed by the 2025 amendments
Under Article 117 of the Saudi Labour Law, a worker whose illness is proven is entitled within one year to 30 days of sick leave on full pay, then 60 days at three quarters of the wage, then 30 days without pay, whether the days are continuous or broken. The year runs from the first day of sick leave.
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.
What Article 117 says
A worker whose illness is proven is entitled, within one year, to:
| Days of sick leave in the year | Pay |
|---|---|
| First 30 days | Full wage |
| Next 60 days | Three quarters of the wage |
| Next 30 days | No wage |
- The days count whether they are taken together or separately.
- One year means the year that begins on the date of the first sick leave.
Was it changed in 2025?
No. Article 117 is not among the articles the 2025 amendments changed, according to the ministry’s summary of the amendments.
Worked example
A worker with an actual wage of 7,500 SAR takes 45 days of certified sick leave in the year that began with their first sick leave.
- Daily wage: 7,500 ÷ 30 = 250 SAR
- Days 1–30 on full pay: 30 × 250 = 7,500 SAR
- Days 31–45 at three quarters: 15 × 187.50 = 2,812.50 SAR
- Pay lost compared with full pay: 15 × 62.50 = 937.50 SAR
If the same worker later needs more sick leave within that year, the next 45 days are still at three quarters, then 30 days unpaid.
Protection against dismissal
Under Article 82, the employer may not end the contract because of illness before the worker has used the sick leave periods in Article 117, and the worker may ask to combine sick leave with annual leave.
What HR should do
- Ask for a medical certificate for each sick leave, and limit who can see it.
- Track each worker’s sick days from the start of their own sick-leave year, not the calendar year.
- Send days at three quarters or without pay to payroll in the month they fall.
- Check Article 82 before any decision to end the contract of a worker who has been ill.
This page is a general explanation, not legal advice.
Official sources
Frequently asked questions
Is sick leave counted per calendar year?
No. The year in Article 117 begins on the date of the worker’s first sick leave, so each worker’s year has its own start date.
Can an employer dismiss a worker who is on sick leave?
Article 82 bars ending a worker’s contract because of illness before the worker has used the sick leave periods the law provides. The worker may also ask to add annual leave to sick leave.
Is sick pay based on the basic wage or the full wage?
The law uses the wage, which it defines as the actual wage: basic plus allowances. Three-quarters pay means three quarters of that wage for each day in the second tier.
