What are labor lawsuits or cases in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia?
They are lawsuits related to employment contracts, disciplinary penalties, and the imposition of penalties stipulated in the Labor Law.
What are the jurisdictions of labor courts in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia?
Labor courts are competent to consider the following:
A – Disputes related to employment contracts, wages, rights, work injuries, and compensation therefor.
B – Disputes related to the employer imposing disciplinary penalties on the worker, or related to the request for exemption from them.
C – Lawsuits filed to impose penalties stipulated in the Labor Law.
D – Disputes resulting from dismissal from work.
E – Complaints of employers and workers whose objections were not accepted against any decision issued by any competent body in the General Organization for Social Insurance, related to the requirement of registration, contributions, or compensation.
F – Disputes related to workers subject to the provisions of the Labor Law, including government workers.
Z- Disputes arising from the application of the Labor Law and the Social Insurance Law, without prejudice to the jurisdiction of other courts and the Board of Grievances.
Types of classification of labor lawsuits or cases in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia:
1. Objection to decisions.
It is a request to cancel or mitigate administrative decisions issued by the employer, domestic labor committees, or the General Organization for Social Insurance according to the deadlines set by the system before the labor court.
It includes the following lawsuits:
A- Social Insurance: It is a lawsuit filed by the worker or the employer against the General Organization for Social Insurance to demand the cancellation of the registration and subscription decision or compensation after following the procedural sequence stipulated in the Social Insurance Law, and the request is: (Cancel the decision issued by Social Insurance).
– It is necessary to file a complaint with the General Organization for Social Insurance before objecting to the Social Insurance decision. – The lawsuit to object to Social Insurance is filed with the General Organization for Social Insurance.
B- Proof of the correct reason for ending the relationship: It is a lawsuit filed by the worker against the employer to prove the correct reason for ending the labor relationship.
– It is necessary to apply for the amicable settlement service for labor disputes before filing the lawsuit.
– It does not include the request for commissions, as the request for commissions is filed in an independent lawsuit.
C- Imposing statutory penalties: It is the lawsuit filed by the Public Prosecutor at the Ministry of Human Resources against the employer to demand the imposition of the statutory penalty, and the requests in it are: (Proof of the violation and imposition of the penalty – seizure of an amount).
– What the Public Prosecutor at the Ministry of Human Resources raises to apply the statutory penalties on those who violate the provisions, regulations or executive decisions of the labor system.
D- A lawsuit to object to the administrative decision of the establishment: It is the lawsuit filed by the worker against the employer to demand the cancellation of the administrative decision or exemption from disciplinary penalties, and the requests in it are: (Re-evaluation of the job – cancellation of the spatial transfer decision – cancellation of the job transfer decision – cancellation of the wage reduction decision – cancellation of the deduction decision – cancellation of the disciplinary penalty decision – amendment of the disciplinary penalty decision).
– It is necessary to apply for the amicable settlement service for labor disputes before filing the lawsuit. – Includes the request to cancel the disciplinary penalty decision. – Includes the request to cancel the spatial transfer. – The claim includes canceling the job transfer. – The claim includes canceling the salary reduction. – The claim includes canceling the deductions (suspension from work with deprivation of salary – fines).
– It does not include the commission request, as the commission request is filed in an independent lawsuit.
E- Domestic Service Committees: It is the lawsuit filed by the worker or employer to request canceling the decision issued by the Domestic Labor Committees within the deadlines set for that by the system (which is ten days from receiving the decision subject to the grievance), and the request in it is: (cancelling the decision subject to the grievance).
– It is necessary to file a complaint with the Domestic Service Committees before objecting to the decision of the Domestic Service Committees. – The lawsuit to object to the decisions of the Domestic Service Committees is filed with the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development.
2. Incidental and urgent requests.
It is a lawsuit that the system has given it the character of urgency for fear of missing time to pay imminent harm or to verify a right whose evidence is feared to be lost when it is disputed.
The following lawsuits include:
A- Travel ban: A lawsuit to demand that the defendant be prevented from traveling if there are reasons to believe that the defendant’s travel is expected, and that it jeopardizes the plaintiff’s right or delays its performance in disputes within the jurisdiction of the labor court
– If there is an existing lawsuit between the parties, the plaintiff shall file a counterclaim to prevent travel. – If the request for travel ban is after the issuance of the judgment, the enforcement court shall have jurisdiction over it.
B- Daily or weekly wage of the worker: It is the lawsuit or request submitted by the male or female worker against the employer to demand the daily or weekly wage that is late in payment when due, including the claim if the plaintiff is a private employee of the defendant.
C- Suspension of execution: It is a request submitted by the person against whom execution is being carried out or by someone with an interest to obtain a judicial decision from the subject court to suspend the executive instrument, such as (a judgment, settlement report, check, decision, or promissory note) subject to execution.
D- Inspection to prove the condition: A lawsuit by an interested party, even if it is potential, to prove the features of a fact that may become the subject of a dispute before the judiciary in the future against the opponent in disputes within the jurisdiction of the labor court.
– Includes proof of inspection of the property to be inspected.
E- Precautionary seizure: A request submitted by an interested party to issue an order to seize the defendant’s property and keep it in his custody for the purpose of collecting the amount claimed.
F. Proof of testimony: A lawsuit by an interested party, even if it is potential, to prove testimony that he fears will be lost against the opponent in disputes within the jurisdiction of the labor court.
3. Financial rights:
These are financial disputes between the worker and the employer that arose under the employment contract or system, such as wages, end-of-service gratuity, commissions, allowances, damages, etc.
Includes the following claims:
A- Reward: The claim filed by the worker against the employer to demand payment of an end-of-service gratuity upon termination of the employment relationship or a gratuity stipulated in the contract or internal work regulations that is overdue, and the requests in it are: (end-of-service gratuity – other gratuity).
– It is necessary to apply for the amicable settlement service for labor disputes before filing the claim. – Includes a claim for an annual gratuity. – Includes a claim for a training gratuity.
– Does not include a claim for an end-of-service gratuity if the employment relationship is ongoing. – Does not include a claim for an end-of-service gratuity if the type of contract is temporary, for some time, flexible, or rehabilitation and training. – Does not include a request for commissions, as a request for commissions is filed in a separate claim form.
B- Attorney or agent fees: It is the lawsuit filed by the attorney or agent against his client (employer or worker) or vice versa to request attorney fees or pleading or recovering the late payment after completing the work, and the requests in it are: (Attorney or agent fees in a case – recovering the amounts paid to the attorney or agent).
– This lawsuit is specific between the agent and his client. – Pleading fees are submitted to the court that considered the original lawsuit. – This classification includes the claim for damages resulting from the agreement between the client and his agent.
– It does not include the claim for fees between the plaintiff and the defendant in the original lawsuit. – It does not include the claim for attorney fees for judgments issued by non-labor courts or circuits. – It does not include the claim for fees for lawsuits considered in labor dispute settlement bodies. – It does not include the claim for attorney fees or pleading before the amicable settlement.
C- Wage: It is the lawsuit filed by the worker against the employer to claim the wages that were delayed when due or the employer’s claim against the worker to recover wages paid without a legitimate reason, and the requests in it are: (delayed wages – overtime – wages for work during official leave – wages for the period of suspension – wage increase difference – deducted wages – delivery of wages for unenjoyed vacations – recovery of wages paid without a legitimate reason).
– It is necessary to apply for the amicable settlement service for labor disputes before filing the lawsuit. – Includes the claim for overtime wages. – Includes the claim for wages for work during official leave. – Includes the delivery of wages for unenjoyed vacations. – Includes the claim for wages for the period of suspension. – Includes the claim for the difference in wage increase. – Includes the claim for wage increase. – Includes the claim for deducted wages. – To claim the daily or weekly wage, the type of lawsuit is selected (daily or weekly wage of the worker).
– It does not include the request for commissions, as the request for commissions is filed in a separate lawsuit. – It does not include the claim for wages if the contract type is qualification and training.
D- Allowance: It is the lawsuit filed by the worker to claim the amounts paid by the employer to the worker in exchange for the energy he expends or for the risks he is exposed to in performing his work, which are determined for the worker under the employment contract or the internal work organization regulations, and the requests in it are: (allowance – treatment costs for lack of insurance).
– It is necessary to apply for the amicable settlement service for labor disputes before filing the lawsuit. – It includes the claim for housing allowance. – It includes the claim for the nature of work allowance. – It includes the claim for ticket allowance. – It includes the claim for transportation allowance. – It includes the claim for transportation allowance. – It includes the claim for danger allowance. – It includes the claim for subsistence allowance. – It includes the claim for children’s education allowance. – It includes the claim for communication allowance.
– It does not include the request for commissions, as the request for commissions is filed in an independent lawsuit. – It does not include the claim for allowance if the type of contract is qualification and training.
E- Payment or refund of fees: It is the lawsuit filed by the worker against the employer to claim payment of government fees from the competent authorities (Ministry of Interior – Ministry of Human Resources), and the requests in it are: (Refund of government fees paid – Payment of fees).
– It is necessary to apply for the amicable settlement service for labor disputes before filing a lawsuit. – Includes the claim for payment of government fees (residence renewal fees, work permit renewal fees, recruitment fees, profession modification fees, exit and return visa issuance fees, late fees). – Includes the claim for refund of government fees (residence renewal fees, work permit renewal fees, recruitment fees, profession modification fees, exit and return visa issuance fees, late fees).
– Does not include the claim for dependent fees. – Does not include the request for commissions, as the request for commissions is filed in a separate lawsuit. – Does not include the claim for refund of fees if the contract type is flexible or qualification and training. – Includes the worker’s claim for service transfer fees if the employer obliges the worker to pay the costs on his behalf. – The claim for service transfer fees does not include what the employer paid in exchange for transferring the worker’s services to him.
F- Value of the Damaged Item: It is the lawsuit or request submitted by the employer against the worker to claim compensation for the machines or products that the worker has damaged that are owned by the employer or in his custody, and the requests in it are (value of the damaged item – damage compensation).
– It is necessary to apply for the amicable settlement service for labor disputes before filing the lawsuit.
– The claim does not include the value of the damaged item if the contract type is qualification and training.
Z- Financial amounts spent by the worker for the benefit of the work: It is the lawsuit filed by the worker against the employer to claim the financial amounts he paid by directing the employer to manage the work affairs, and the request in it is: (refund of the amount paid).
– It is necessary to apply for the amicable settlement service for labor disputes before filing the lawsuit. – It includes the claim to pay bills or violations. – It includes the claim to cover the financial burden of the facility.
– It does not include the request for commissions, as the request for commissions is filed in an independent lawsuit.
H- Commissions: It is the lawsuit filed by the worker to claim financial amounts paid by the employer in exchange for what he does in marketing, production or collection and is stipulated in the contract or internal work organization regulations and is considered part of the worker’s actual wage, and the requests in it are, for example: (Sales – Collection – Profits – Net Profits – Other).
– It is necessary to apply for the amicable settlement service for labor disputes before filing the lawsuit.
– The request for commissions is not combined with other requests.
4. Job rights:
These are non-financial disputes that arise for the worker under the employment contract, system or internal work organization regulations such as travel tickets, return ticket home, promotions, housing, work empowerment, etc.
These include the following lawsuits:
A- Housing insurance: This is the lawsuit filed by the worker against the employer to oblige him to provide the agreed upon housing, and the requests in it are: (Housing insurance according to the contract – Housing insurance according to the internal regulations).
– It is necessary to apply for the amicable settlement service for labor disputes before filing the lawsuit.
– It does not include the request for commissions, as the request for commissions is filed in an independent lawsuit.
B- Travel tickets: This is the lawsuit filed by the worker against the employer to oblige him to grant a return ticket to his home country after the end of the contract or to deliver travel tickets according to the entitlement document.
– It is necessary to apply for the amicable settlement service for labor disputes before filing the lawsuit. – The claim for travel tickets is filed by a non-Saudi. – Includes annual leave travel tickets. – Includes return travel tickets.
– Does not include the claim for travel tickets if the contract type is for some time, flexible, qualification and training, or (employee). – Does not include the request for commissions, as the request for commissions is filed in an independent lawsuit.
C- Promotion or bonus: It is the lawsuit filed by the worker against the employer to demand his promotion to the higher grade he deserves.
– It is necessary to apply for the amicable settlement service for labor disputes before filing the lawsuit. – Includes the claim for bonus.
– Does not include the request for commissions, as the request for commissions is filed in an independent lawsuit.
D- Placement in a job, modification, or equality in rank: It is the lawsuit filed by the worker against the employer to oblige him to place him, modify, or equalize his due job rank, and the requests in it are: (Placement in a job – Modification of the job rank – Modification of the job rank according to the internal regulations – Job equality).
– It is necessary to apply for the amicable settlement service for labor disputes before filing the lawsuit. – Includes the claim for placement in a job. – Includes the claim for modification of the job rank – Includes the claim for job equality.
– It does not include the request for commissions, as the request for commissions is filed in an independent lawsuit.
E- Delivering a trust or recovering an advance:
Delivering a trust: is the lawsuit or request submitted by the employer against the male or female worker to demand the return of the trust in his or her possession, while recovering a loan: is the lawsuit or request submitted by the employer against the female worker to demand the return of the financial amounts paid to him or her as a loan.
– It is necessary to apply for the amicable settlement service for labor disputes before filing the lawsuit.
– It does not include the claim for financial trust, as its jurisdiction is with the General Court in accordance with Supreme Court Decision No. 4/3/159 dated 05/26/1441. – It does not include the claim for the recovery of personal advances. – It does not include the financial claim in a lawsuit of the worker’s unlawful seizure of funds. – It does not include the worker’s financial claim in a lawsuit of embezzlement. – It does not include the worker’s financial claim in a lawsuit of breach of trust. – It does not include the worker’s financial claim in a lawsuit of budget deficit.
W- Enabling work: is the lawsuit filed by the worker against the employer to oblige him to perform the agreed-upon work.
– It is necessary to apply for the amicable settlement service for labor disputes before filing the lawsuit.
– It does not include the claim if the relationship status ended due to a legitimate or illegitimate reason. – It does not include the request for commissions, as the request for commissions is filed in an independent lawsuit.
5. Documents and papers:
They are disputes arising from documentary claims from the worker against the employer or vice versa that arose under the employment contract or the system or internal work organization regulations such as a copy of the contract, documents deposited with the employer, etc.
They include the following lawsuits:
A- A copy of the employment contract: is the lawsuit filed by the worker against the employer to oblige him to deliver a copy of the employment contract, and the requests in it are: (writing the employment contract – a copy of the employment contract – termination of the employment contract).
– It is necessary to apply for the amicable settlement service for labor disputes before filing the lawsuit.
– It does not include the request for commissions, as the request for commissions is filed in an independent lawsuit.
B- Documents and papers: It is the lawsuit filed by the worker against the employer or vice versa to oblige the return of the documents and papers given to him, and the requests in it are, for example: (passport – employment contract – university certificate – medical insurance card – ID – driver’s license – other).
– It is necessary to apply for the amicable settlement service for labor disputes before filing the lawsuit. – Includes the passport. – Includes certificates and other documents related to the worker. – Includes the residence permit – medical insurance document.
– It does not include the request for commissions, as the request for commissions is filed in a separate lawsuit.
C- Service Certificate: It is the lawsuit filed by the worker against the employer to oblige him to hand over the service certificate for the period of his work.
– It is necessary to apply for the amicable settlement service for labor disputes before filing the lawsuit.
– It does not include the request for commissions, as the request for commissions is filed in an independent lawsuit.
6. Compensation:
Claims related to financial compensation requested from the worker or the employer.
It includes the following lawsuits:
A. Treatment costs.
B- Compensation for failure to register in insurance: It is the lawsuit filed by the worker against the employer to demand compensation for not registering with social insurance according to the dates set at the beginning of the contract, which leads to the loss of the benefits granted to him under the social insurance system.
– It is necessary to apply for the amicable settlement service for labor disputes before filing the lawsuit. – The lawsuit is filed against the employer and not against the General Organization for Social Insurance.
– It does not include the request for registration in social insurance. – It does not include the request for commissions, as the request for commissions is filed in an independent lawsuit.
C- Termination of the labor relationship by the employer: It is the lawsuit filed by the worker against the employer to claim compensation for terminating the labor relationship for an unlawful reason according to Article 77 of the Labor Law.
– It is necessary to apply for the amicable settlement of labor disputes service before filing the lawsuit.
– It does not include the claim for compensation for terminating the labor relationship if the labor relationship is ongoing. – It does not include the claim for compensation for the absenteeism report. – It does not include the claim for recruitment costs. – It does not include the request for commissions, as the request for commissions is filed in an independent lawsuit.
D- Termination of the labor relationship by the worker: It is the lawsuit filed by the employer against the worker to claim compensation for terminating the labor relationship for an unlawful reason according to Article 77 of the Labor Law.
– It is necessary to apply for the amicable settlement of labor disputes service before filing the lawsuit.
– It does not include the claim for compensation for terminating the labor relationship if the labor relationship is ongoing. – It does not include the claim for compensation for the absenteeism report. – It does not include the claim for recruitment costs.
E- Employer’s failure to comply with the notice period: is the lawsuit filed by the worker against the employer to claim compensation for not notifying the desire to terminate the employment relationship.
– It is necessary to apply for the amicable settlement service for labor disputes before filing the lawsuit.
– It does not include the claim for compensation for not adhering to the notice period if the employment relationship is ongoing. – It does not include the request for commissions, as the request for commissions is filed in an independent lawsuit. – It does not include the claim for compensation for not adhering to the notice period in fixed-term contracts.
F- The worker’s failure to comply with the notice period: is the lawsuit filed by the employer against the worker to claim compensation for not notifying the desire to terminate the employment relationship.
– It is necessary to apply for the amicable settlement service for labor disputes before filing the lawsuit.
– It does not include the claim for compensation for not adhering to the notice period if the employment relationship is ongoing. – It does not include the claim for compensation for not adhering to the notice period in fixed-term contracts. – It does not include the request for commissions, as the request for commissions is filed in an independent lawsuit.
Z- Compensation for litigation damages: is the lawsuit filed by the worker against the employer or vice versa to claim compensation for expenses arising from a case pending in the labor court or labor circuit in the general court, which he incurred due to claiming his labor rights.
– It is filed in the same court that heard the original lawsuit.
– The claim does not include compensation for litigation damages for judgments issued by non-labor courts or circuits. – The claim does not include compensation for litigation damages for lawsuits pending in labor dispute settlement bodies. – – The claim does not include compensation for litigation damages for pleading before an amicable settlement.
H- Leave balance: is a claim for compensation for leave balance.
I- Work injury: is a claim filed by the worker against an employer who is not subject to the (Occupational Hazards Branch) at the General Organization for Social Insurance to claim compensation for a work injury stipulated in the Social Insurance System.
– It is necessary to apply for the amicable settlement service for labor disputes before filing the lawsuit.
– The claim does not include if the facility is subject to the Occupational Hazards Branch at the General Organization for Social Insurance.
L- Non-competition and protection of secrets: is the lawsuit filed by the employer against the worker to oblige him to implement the non-competition condition or compensation for breach of the condition or compensation for disclosure of secrets.
– It is necessary to apply for the amicable settlement service for labor disputes before filing the lawsuit. – Includes the claim for compensation for unfair competition or disclosure of secrets. – Includes the claim to continue implementing the non-competition condition.
7. Appeal:
The lawsuits that are directly considered by the appeals departments in labor contracts.
Includes the following lawsuit:
Arbitration (labor): are lawsuits arising from arbitration disputes in labor lawsuits when there is an agreement on arbitration.
The following terms contained in this system indicate the meanings shown before them, unless the context requires otherwise: 1- Arbitration agreement: is an agreement between two or more parties to refer to arbitration all or some of the specific disputes that have arisen or may arise between them regarding a specific legal relationship, whether contractual or non-contractual, whether the arbitration agreement is in the form of an arbitration clause included in a contract, or in the form of an independent arbitration agreement. 2 – Arbitration Panel: It is the individual arbitrator or the team of arbitrators who decides the dispute referred to arbitration. 3 – The competent court: It is the court that has the legal jurisdiction to decide the disputes that have been agreed to arbitrate.
The second paragraph of Article Nine of the Arbitration System states: “2 – The arbitration agreement must be in writing, otherwise it is void.”
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