Observation (CEACR) - adopted 1995, published 82nd ILC session (1995)

Weekly Rest (Commerce and Offices) Convention, 1957 (No. 106) - Saudi Arabia (Ratification: 1978)

Article 8, paragraph 3 of the Convention. For several years, the Committee has been drawing the Government's attention to the need to adopt measures to guarantee compensatory rest to workers who, under certain fixed cases provided for in section 150 of the Labour Code, work on the weekly rest day. In its previous observation, the Committee noted the Government's indication that the Committee's comments were being considered. In its latest report, the Government states that pursuant to the Labour Code, an employer must pay a worker for overtime work and that such compensation imposes a substantial financial burden on the employer, particularly when the worker has worked on the weekly rest day. The Government further explains that this financial burden discourages most employers from requesting workers to work on the weekly day of rest. In this respect, the Committee observes that under Article 8, paragraph 3, of the Convention, the granting of compensatory rest is compulsory in every case of exemption from the weekly rest, regardless of any monetary compensation in the event of work on a weekly rest day. It therefore requests the Government to take the necessary measures to amend section 150 of the Labour Code in such a way as to give full effect to Article 8, paragraph 3, of the Convention. It also requests the Government to keep it informed of any progress achieved in this respect and to supply a copy of the relevant text when it is adopted.

The Government is asked to report in detail in 1996.