Saudi: Employer asked to give end-of-service allowances to sacked worker
The Labour Court in Riyadh ordered a company to pay wage arrears and end-of-service allowances in addition to an experience certificate to an employee who was dismissed from service without citing any genuine reasons.
The court issued the verdict following the failure of the employer to attend the court proceedings. The judgment was final and the employer is not entitled to appeal against the verdict, the court has said.
An employee approached the labour court with lodging a lawsuit following the company’s termination of him from service, citing the closure of one of its branches as the reason. The worker stated that the employer failed to grant him the end-of-service gratuity, some of his salaries, and the service certificate. The employee substantiated his claim with producing a letter received from the company’s human resources department informing him about the termination of service.
In his petition, the worker demanded compensation for the unlawful dismissal, which is equivalent to two months’ salary in accordance with Article 77 of the Labor Law.
The judge asked the company to respond to the claims of the worker, but it ignored the court’s directive despite being notified electronically through the portal of Najiz Center for Judicial Services. Subsequently, the judge asked the plaintiff to undertake an oath to prove his claims due to the company’s lack of response or attendance, so he submitted the oath stipulated by the Shariah law.
The judge ruled that the company must pay the delayed monthly wages, end-of-service gratuity equivalent to half a month’s salary for each year of the first five years according to the Labor Law, and a financial compensation equivalent to a full two months’ salary for the illegal dismissal.
The court also ordered to grant him an experience certificate free of cost with a condition that it does not include what harms his reputation.
