Dismissal Under Article 80: When Is the End-of-Service Award Lost?
The calculator is set to "Dismissed by the employer under Article 80". Change the reason to see what you are owed if the case is not proven.
Calculate your award with and without Article 80
The nine cases in Article 80
As a rule the employer may not terminate without paying the award, giving notice or compensating. The exception is nine exhaustive cases, provided the employee is given a chance to state the reasons for objecting:
| Case | Extra condition |
|---|---|
| 1. Assaulting the employer, the responsible manager, a superior or a subordinate during or because of work | — |
| 2. Breaching essential obligations, disobeying lawful orders, or deliberately breaking announced safety instructions | Despite a written warning |
| 3. Proven bad conduct or an act against honour or integrity | Proven |
| 4. A deliberate act or omission intended to cause the employer material loss | Reported to the authorities within 24 hours of learning of it |
| 5. Using forgery to obtain the job | Proven |
| 6. Employee on probation | During probation (maximum 180 days) |
| 7. Absence without a valid reason for more than 30 days in a contract year or more than 15 consecutive days | Written warning after 20 days, or 10 consecutive days |
| 8. Exploiting the job position unlawfully for personal gain | Proven |
| 9. Disclosing industrial or commercial secrets of the work | Proven |
What is lost and what remains
- Lost: the end-of-service award for the whole service, notice compensation, and Article 77 compensation.
- Remains: pay due up to the last working day, and pay for unused annual leave.
Example: actual wage SAR 10,000 and 5 years 10 months of service.
Full award under Article 84 = 5 × 5,000 + 0.83 × 10,000 ≈ SAR 33,333.
If an Article 80 case is proven: zero.
If it is not proven or no chance to object was given: the full award, with notice compensation, and possibly Article 77 compensation.
On the other side, see the Article 81 cases in which you may leave without notice and keep your rights. Prefer Arabic? Use the Arabic version.
Frequently asked questions
Does dismissal under Article 80 cancel the whole award?
Yes. If one of the nine cases is proven and the procedure followed, the employee receives no end-of-service award for the whole service, no notice compensation and no Article 77 compensation. Pay due to the last day and unused leave remain owed.
How many days of absence allow dismissal without award?
Absence without a valid reason for more than 30 days in one contract year, or more than 15 consecutive days. A written warning from the employer must come first, after 20 days of absence in the first case or 10 consecutive days in the second.
Can I be dismissed under Article 80 without being heard?
No. The text requires the employer to give the employee a chance to state the reasons for objecting. As dismissal is a disciplinary penalty, the written investigation and written notification of the decision apply.
Is ending the contract during probation an Article 80 case?
Yes, it is the sixth case. During probation neither party owes an award or compensation (Article 54), and probation may not exceed 180 days.
What if the case is not proven?
The burden of proof is on the employer. If the case is not proven or the employee was not allowed to object, the termination may be unlawful: the full award is due, with notice compensation (Article 76) and Article 77 compensation as applicable.
Was Article 80 amended in 2025?
No. The Labour Law amendments in force since 19 February 2025 did not include Article 80, so the nine cases and conditions are unchanged.
Sources
- Umm Al-Qura — Labour Law amendments by Royal Decree M/44: definition of resignation and Article 79 bis (Arabic)
- Ministry of Human Resources — work relations: current text of Articles 74, 79 bis and 84–88 (Arabic)
- HRDF — Saudi Labour Law, Articles 80, 81, 84, 85 and 87 (English)
Figures and formulas on this page were last reviewed on 2026-11-03.