Warning letter to employee template for Saudi Arabia
A warning letter to an employee is a written disciplinary penalty for a specific violation. In Saudi Arabia, a warning is the first penalty listed in Article 66, and it may be given only for a violation in the establishment’s approved work regulations, after the employee has been told of the charge and heard. This template records each step.
Replace everything in [square brackets] with your details.
[Company name]
[Commercial registration number] · [Address] · [Phone]
Date: [DD/MM/YYYY]
Reference: [Reference number]
To: [Employee full name]
Employee number: [Employee number]
Job title: [Job title]
Department: [Department]
Subject: Written warning
Dear [Employee name],
On [DD/MM/YYYY] you [describe the violation in factual terms: what happened, when and where].
This is a violation of [clause number and title] of the company’s work regulations, which provides a written warning as the penalty for [a first / a repeated] violation of this kind.
You were notified of this matter in writing on [DD/MM/YYYY], and your statement was heard on [DD/MM/YYYY], as recorded in investigation minutes number [Minutes number].
Having considered your statement, the company has decided to issue you this written warning. We ask you to [describe the expected conduct or correction], and we draw your attention to the fact that a repeated violation may lead to the next penalty provided in the work regulations.
You may file a written grievance against this decision with [the competent body or person at the company] within 30 days of receiving this letter, excluding official holidays, as provided in the Labour Law.
[Name of the authorised signatory]
[Job title]
[Signature and company stamp]
Received by the employee
Name: [Employee full name]
Signature: [Signature]
Date: [DD/MM/YYYY]
When to use it
Use it when an employee has committed a violation that the establishment’s work regulations punish with a warning, such as repeated lateness or breaking a workplace rule, and only after the investigation. A warning is also required before some dismissals: Article 80 allows dismissal for unexcused absence of more than 30 days in a contract year or more than 15 consecutive days only after a written warning at 20 days and 10 days respectively.
The legal steps
- The penalty must be in the work regulations. An employer may not impose a penalty that is not in the Labour Law or the establishment’s work regulations (Article 67). Work regulations are adopted from the ministry’s unified model on Qiwa, with any added clauses within it (Articles 12 and 13). The penalties the law allows are a warning, a fine, withholding or postponing a raise for up to a year, postponing a promotion for up to a year, suspension with loss of wage, and dismissal in the cases the law sets (Article 66).
- Act within 30 days. No charge may be brought more than 30 days after the violation was discovered, and no penalty imposed more than 30 days after the investigation ended (Article 69).
- Charge in writing and hear the employee. Tell the employee of the charge in writing, question them, hear their defence and record it in minutes kept on file; questioning may be verbal for minor violations (Article 71).
- One penalty per violation. No more than one penalty may be imposed for the same violation, and none for conduct outside work unless it relates to the work, the employer or the manager (Article 70).
- Notify in writing. Give the decision to the employee in writing; if they refuse it or are absent, send it by registered mail to the address in their file (Article 72).
- Allow the grievance. Since 2025, the employee may file a written grievance with the employer within 30 days, then go to the labour court if it is rejected or not decided within 15 days (Article 72).
Repeated violations may not be punished more harshly if 180 days have passed since the previous one (Article 68). Article 155 also bars dismissing a female employee, or giving her notice of dismissal, during pregnancy or maternity leave.
Common mistakes
- Warning for something the work regulations do not cover.
- Writing opinions about character instead of facts about the violation.
- Skipping the written charge and the minutes, which makes the penalty open to challenge.
In RafiqHR, violations and warnings follow your approved penalty schedule, with investigations, grievances and appeals tracked against their statutory windows and evidence.
Official sources
Frequently asked questions
Can an employer give a warning without an investigation?
The employee must first be told of the charge in writing, questioned and heard, and the defence recorded in minutes kept on file (Article 71). For minor violations whose penalty is no more than a warning or a deduction of one day’s wage, the questioning may be verbal, but it must still be recorded.
How long does the employer have to issue a warning?
A violation may not be charged more than 30 days after it was discovered, and a penalty may not be imposed more than 30 days after the investigation ended and the violation was established (Article 69).
Can the employee object to a warning?
Yes. Under Article 72 as amended in 2025, the employee may file a written grievance with the competent body at the employer within 30 days of being notified, excluding official holidays. If it is rejected or not decided within 15 days, the employee may object before the labour court within 30 days.
How many warnings before dismissal?
The Labour Law sets no number. Article 80 lists the cases in which a worker may be dismissed without an award, and some, such as long unexcused absence, require a prior written warning. The penalty for repeated violations is set in the establishment’s work regulations.
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.
