Employment · Legal glossary
Notice periodIn Arabic: مدة الإشعار
Definition
The notice period is the time for which one party to an open-ended employment contract must warn the other, in writing, before ending it.
How it varies across the GCC
In Saudi Arabia, under article 75 of the Labour Law as amended, the period is at least sixty days if the employer ends the contract and at least thirty days if the worker ends it, for a worker paid monthly. A party who does not give the notice compensates the other with the wage for that period (article 76). In the UAE, article 43 of Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 sets the written notice before termination.
The rules that apply to a specific matter depend on the state, any free zone involved and the current text of the law, so check the official source before relying on them.
Sources
Official texts for the points on this page. General information, not legal advice. An article number is cited only where it was verified.
- Saudi Labour Law, art. 75, 76https://laws.boe.gov.sa/BoeLaws/Laws/LawDetails/08381293-6388-48e2-8ad2-a9a700f2aa94/1
- UAE Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021, art. 43https://uaelegislation.gov.ae/ar/legislations/1541