Saudi Arabia cuts working hours, grants two days off to private sector workers

Saudi Arabia's Shura Council on Wednesday approved reducing working hours for private sector workers to 40 hours and granting them a two-day weekend under certain activities, subject to the cabinet’s approval, Alriyadh daily reported on Thursday.

As many as 84 members of the advisory council voted for the decision, amending Article 98 in the labor law to read, “The maximum working hours may be reduced from 48 hours to a minimum of 40 hours a week for some activities by a cabinet decree.”

The council also amended Article 104 of the same law, to allow the cabinet to give an extra fully-paid day off to workers in the sectors determined by the cabinet