Hours
-
8 hours a day or 48 a week. In Ramadan, 36 a week (Art. 64).
-
At least a 1-hour break after 5 continuous hours. Breaks are not paid working time. Banks and finance firms can work 8 hours straight (Art. 65).
-
Weekly rest: 24 paid hours after 6 working days (Art. 67).
-
Since 1 November 2025:
- enter every schedule on PAM's system
- update it as soon as it changes
- post it at the workplace
This is Resolution 15/2025. The penalty for not doing it is suspension of your company file.
-
Summer: no work at exposed sites 11:00–16:00, 1 June–31 August (Resolution 3/2026). In summer 2026, PAM ran 617 inspections and flagged 155 companies.
Overtime
| When | Pay | Limits |
|---|---|---|
| Normal day | +25% (Art. 66) | 2 h/day, 180 h/year, 3 days/week, 90 days/year. Needs a written order and a register |
| Weekly rest day | +50% + substitute rest day (Art. 67) | — |
| Public holiday | Double pay + substitute day (Art. 68) | — |
| Juveniles | Not allowed (Art. 21) | — |
Hourly rate = monthly wage ÷ 26 ÷ 8. Example: wage KD 520 → KD 2.50 an hour. 10 normal overtime hours = 10 × 2.50 × 1.25 = KD 31.25.
Public holidays (Art. 68)
- Hijri New Year (1 day)
- Isra'a & Mi'raj (1)
- Eid Al-Fitr (3)
- Arafat Day (1)
- Eid Al-Adha (3)
- Prophet's Birthday (1)
- National Day (1)
- Liberation Day (1)
- New Year's Day (1)
The Cabinet announces the exact dates each year.
Leave
| Leave | Entitlement | Article |
|---|---|---|
| Annual | 30 working days. First year after 6 months. Pro rata for part years. Paid before the leave starts. Carry over up to 2 years | 70–74 |
| Sick | 15 days full pay, 10 at ¾, 10 at ½, 10 at ¼, 30 unpaid | 69 |
| Maternity | 70 days paid + up to 4 months unpaid. No dismissal during it | 24 |
| Nursing | 2 hours a day | 25 |
| Hajj | 21 days, once, after 2 years | 76 |
| Bereavement | 3 days (1st or 2nd degree relative) | 77 |
| Iddah | 4 months 10 days (Muslim), 21 days (non-Muslim) | 77 |
| Study | Optional. The worker repays if they leave early | 75 |
| Unpaid | Optional, on request | 79 |
Leave example: an employee joined on 1 March and asks for leave on 1 October.
- 7 months of service, so they are eligible.
- Accrued: 7 × 2.5 = 17.5 working days.
Pending change
A bill to raise annual leave to 35 days has been reported. It is not law, so don't change your policy yet.