Employment & Labor
Employment lawyer in Riyadh: contracts, termination and labor disputes
Labor law services for individuals and organizations in Riyadh: employment contracts, termination and entitlements, investigations and penalties, and labor disputes.
Employment lawyer in Riyadh for workers and employers
An employment relationship starts with a contract and ends with a settlement, and in between small decisions accumulate: a penalty, a transfer, a warning, a change in pay. Most labor disputes are decided by what was documented in those decisions, not by what either side intended. We work with individuals and organizations on structuring the relationship before a disagreement and on handling it when it arises.
Our scope
We provide labor law services to individuals and to organizations: employment contracts, internal work regulations, HR policies, termination and entitlements, investigations and penalties, and disputes before the competent bodies. These matters are governed by the Labor Law and its regulations.
For workers
We review an employment contract before it is signed, read a termination or penalty decision if there is one, explain the likely entitlements and the routes available, and review a release before it is signed, because a release may contain a waiver whose effect is only felt later. We represent the worker in a claim, in amicable settlement, and before the body competent for labor disputes.
For employers
We draft employment contracts to the type of role, the term, probation, pay and its components, confidentiality and non-competition, and we prepare work regulations suited to the organization's activity. A regulation that is approved and made available to staff protects the employer when a penalty or termination is challenged.
Termination and entitlements
The way a relationship ends (expiry of term, termination by the employer for a legitimate reason, termination without a legitimate reason, or resignation) determines the entitlements that follow: end-of-service award, leave and compensation. We review the position before the decision is taken, not after, because a mistake in characterising the termination can cost either side more than expected.
Investigations and penalties
Before a penalty or a dismissal for a legitimate reason, we check whether the violation is covered by the regulation, whether the investigation was run properly and the worker was given a chance to respond, and whether the penalty is proportionate and imposed in time. We draft investigation memoranda, warnings and penalty decisions, and we review them equally for the worker who has been penalised.
Labor disputes
These usually begin with an amicable settlement stage, followed by a claim before the labor court. We represent the worker or the organization in settlement and in the claim, and prepare the file: the contract, statements, correspondence, attendance records and entitlements paid. The more orderly the records, the shorter and cheaper the dispute.
What you receive
Depending on scope and on whether you are a worker or an employer: an opinion on an employment contract or its termination, a drafted contract or regulation, templates for warnings, investigations and penalties, a claim or response memorandum, and representation in settlement and in the claim.
Next step
Send the employment contract, the termination or penalty decision if there is one, any claim you have received, and the salary and term details. That is enough to assess the position and set the next step.
Mistakes we see most often in this kind of matter
An employment contract that does not match reality. Terms that do not reflect what actually happens make proof difficult in a dispute, whether you are a worker or an employer.
Signing a release without reading it. A release containing a general waiver may give up rights not yet counted, and its effect is only felt when someone tries to go back on it.
Dismissal without a documented investigation. Ending the relationship without proper procedure may turn it into termination without a legitimate reason.
An internal regulation that was never approved. Penalties applied without a regulation made available to staff are open to challenge.
Incomplete records of entitlements. Lacking proof that entitlements were paid weakens the position however sound the right.
How the work runs
- 01
Review the current position. We examine the contract, regulation, records and decisions issued.
- 02
Set out the options. We explain the options and what follows from each.
- 03
Draft or act. We draft the contract or prepare the claim, or the termination and investigation.
- 04
Settlement or claim. We represent you in settlement or before the labor court.
What we need to start
You do not need every document before you contact us, but having the following shortens the first assessment:
- The employment contract and its annexes
- The work regulation, if any
- Salary statements and entitlements
- The termination or penalty decision and any warnings
- Correspondence about the claim
Frequently asked questions
Do you act for workers or for employers?
For both, though not for both sides of the same matter; we check for conflicts of interest before accepting any engagement.
What is the first step on receiving a termination decision?
Ask for the decision in writing, keep the contract, statements and correspondence, and do not sign a release before it has been reviewed.
Does my organization need a work regulation?
The rules apply to organizations depending on their circumstances, and the regulation is the basis for disciplinary penalties. We review your organization's position.
Can an employment contract be changed by one party alone?
It depends on the type of change. Some material changes need the other party's consent, and we review the intended change before it is applied.
Read also
The information on this page is general and is not a legal opinion on a specific matter; the answer depends on the facts and on the law in force at the time.