Full Time Shifts

What Is Full-Time Employment?

Full-time employment refers to a type of employment contract that requires an employee to work regular, full hours each week in accordance with industry or organizational standards. This type of contract is the most common in the labor market and represents the traditional form of employment. Full-time work is the ideal choice for individuals seeking greater financial stability and continuous professional development, as it offers broader opportunities for growth and advancement.

What are the benefits of full-time employment?

Full-time employment represents a long-term commitment to the organization, through which the employee gains a special status that guarantees clear rights and benefits that enhance their performance and interaction with the work environment. Among the most notable of these benefits are:

• Financial Stability: Full-time employment is one of the most important factors providing employees with job and financial stability, as it guarantees them a fixed and regular salary that helps secure their financial well-being, in addition to additional benefits such as health insurance and paid annual leave.
• Dedication to Work and Increased Productivity: Full-time employment allows employees to devote themselves fully to their professional duties, which enhances their productivity and enables them to focus better on their tasks and achieve the organization’s goals. This dedication motivates employees to improve their performance, especially within a stable work environment that provides them with the necessary support.
• Career Development: Full-time work is associated with better opportunities for professional development and career advancement. It provides employees with the opportunity to gain more experience and training, making it easier for them to secure promotions and benefit from training and development programs, and increasing their chances of reaching senior management positions.
• Sense of Belonging to the Organization: Full-time employees feel a sense of belonging to the organization where they work due to the continuity of their employment and their full dedication to it. This sense of belonging helps foster loyalty and commitment to achieving the organization’s goals, enabling them to build strong professional relationships within the workplace and contribute effectively to its development.

Despite these benefits, full-time employment also presents certain challenges, such as:

• Full-time work lacks the flexibility that some employees may need.
• Employees are sometimes subjected to significant work pressure.
• Employees may find it difficult to balance the demands of work with those of their personal lives.

How many hours constitute full-time work under the Saudi Labor Law?

According to Article 98 of the Saudi Labor Law, an employee may not be required to work more than 8 hours per day if the daily standard is adopted, or more than 48 hours per week if the weekly standard is adopted. During the month of Ramadan, actual working hours for Muslims are reduced to 6 hours per day or 36 hours per week.

Working hours may be increased to nine hours per day for certain categories of workers, or in certain industries and jobs where the worker does not work continuously, in accordance with Article 99 of the Labor Law. Furthermore, in accordance with the same article, working hours may be reduced to seven hours per day depending on the nature of the work or for certain categories of workers and hazardous jobs. 

Companies that adopt a shift work system in accordance with Article 100 of the Labor Law may increase the number of daily working hours, provided that the average is 8 hours per day or 48 hours per week over a 3-week period.

However, certain exceptions are permitted under Article 106 of the Code, such as during annual inventory counts, emergency repairs, or to address extraordinary work pressures, as well as holidays, seasons, special occasions, and seasonal work as determined by a ministerial decision, provided that actual working hours in such cases do not exceed 10 hours per day or 60 hours per week.

What are the penalties for failing to comply with the specified working hours for full-time employment?

Failure to comply with working hours under a full-time employment contract is a legal violation that results in penalties being imposed on the company or employer, such as:

• Issuing alerts and warnings to correct violations, while ensuring that failure to comply with these warnings results in stricter penalties.
• Financial fines assessed based on the violation committed, which may increase in the event of repeated violations.
• Prosecuting the company and holding it legally liable, which may result in the suspension of business licenses or other penalties that could lead to a suspension of operations.

What are the rest periods for full-time work under the Saudi Labor Law?

According to Articles 101 and 102 of the Labor Law, the employer must organize working hours and rest periods so that an employee does not work continuously for more than five consecutive hours without a break for rest, meals, and prayer of at least half an hour, and so that the employee does not remain at the workplace for more than twelve hours. During rest periods, the employee is not under the employer’s authority, and the employer may not compel the employee to remain at the workplace; furthermore, rest periods are not counted as part of actual working hours.

In addition to the rest periods granted to all employees, a female employee returning to work after maternity leave is entitled to paid rest periods or periods totaling no more than one hour per day to care for her infant child; these periods are considered part of her working hours, and no wages may be deducted for them.

Pursuant to Article 104, an employee must be granted a weekly rest period of no less than 24 consecutive hours, which they may not waive in exchange for additional pay. This rest period is typically on Friday; however, companies may schedule weekly rest days according to business needs after notifying the relevant labor office, provided that the employee is given the opportunity to perform their religious duties. 

What are overtime hours for full-time employees?

Overtime refers to the hours worked by employees in excess of the official working hours established by the employer for a day or week, as well as hours worked during official holidays and festivals.

The employer must pay the employee for overtime at a rate equal to the regular hourly wage plus a 50 percent premium. With the employee’s consent or at the employee’s request, the employer may grant the employee paid time off in lieu of the wages due for the overtime hours worked.

What is the difference between full-time and part-time work?

Part-time work is employment in which an employee performs their job duties for fewer hours than the full-time schedule, whether the employee works daily or on certain days of the week. It does not require full-time commitment but offers flexibility in the number of working hours, provided that these hours do not exceed half the number of regular working hours at the establishment.

Part-time work is characterized by the following features:

• The possibility of adjusting work hours to suit the employee’s personal needs, thereby helping them achieve a work-life balance.
• It gives employees the opportunity to reduce their workload compared to full-time work, allowing them to invest their time in other activities such as pursuing hobbies or continuing their education.
• It opens the door for a diverse range of individuals to participate in the labor market, including those with specialized skills or commitments that prevent them from working full-time, while also serving as a source of income and experience for those who have not yet found a suitable job opportunity. 
• Meeting companies’ seasonal needs and adapting to changes and peak periods without the need for permanent hiring that exceeds their needs during times of normal demand.
• Reducing operating costs such as payroll and additional benefits, which helps companies achieve greater financial efficiency and improve performance without incurring high hiring costs.

Among the most important differences between full-time and part-time work are:

• Full-time employment offers greater financial stability compared to part-time work, as employees receive a fixed salary and full benefits such as paid leave; in contrast, part-time employees do not receive the same level of benefits, and their salary is lower in proportion to the number of hours worked.
• Full-time employees have better opportunities for promotion and training compared to part-time employees. Furthermore, working long, fixed hours allows employees to engage more deeply with the work environment and increases their opportunities to learn new skills and gain experience that enhances their career progression.
• A full-time employee is required to be present and work regularly throughout the week, while a part-time employee has greater flexibility in their work schedule, although this comes at the expense of financial stability and opportunities for career advancement.

Can a full-time employee in the private sector hold another job?

It is possible to hold two jobs in the private sector, provided that this complies with the terms of the employment contracts and the internal regulations of the organization where the employee works, and subject to the following conditions:

• The employee must be a Saudi national in accordance with Article 39 of the Labor Law.
• The first employment contract must not include a clause prohibiting the employee from holding more than one job.
• The terms of the two jobs must not conflict with one another.
• Submit approval for the second job from the first employer.
• All personal information must be submitted along with the details of the first job.
• The minimum age for employment is 15 years.
• Both employers must contribute to social insurance.
• The Saudization rate is calculated based on the first employer where the employee was added.
• The nature of the work at the second job must not compete with the employee’s primary job or affect their performance in their primary job.

What are the best practices for managing and organizing full-time work hours?

Effective management of full-time work hours contributes to improving employee performance and ensuring a healthy and sustainable work environment. Among the best practices for organizing and managing full-time work hours are:

Establishing a clear and organized work schedule

The employer must establish a schedule that transparently outlines daily and weekly working hours, taking into account legally mandated rest periods, to avoid confusion, ensure employees adhere to the specified schedule, and eliminate excessive working hours that may lead to burnout.

Provide flexibility in scheduling

In some cases, employees need flexibility in organizing their work hours, which helps achieve a better work-life balance and leads to increased job satisfaction and improved productivity. For example, different approaches to work organization can be adopted, such as shift work or remote work if suitable for the nature of the job, or setting priorities and organizing work hours in a way that helps reduce stress, increase productivity, and complete tasks on time without the need to extend working hours.

Compliance with Laws and Regulations

Organizations must adhere to laws and regulations and monitor any updates to ensure compliance and avoid legal penalties. This includes adhering to working hours, rest periods, leave, overtime, and other requirements to maintain a legal and fair work environment.

Supporting Work-Life Balance

This includes providing regular time off, scheduling annual leave at appropriate times, improving the quality of breaks, and other measures that ensure employee well-being and quality of life at work to achieve higher employee retention rates, maintain their mental and physical health, and improve the company’s overall performance.

Using Appropriate Technological Tools

Such as tJisr human resources management software, which enables the organization to use advanced technological tools that help:

• Accurate attendance tracking: These tools enable automated attendance monitoring without the need for manual recording, ensuring greater accuracy and reducing record tampering, while allowing these systems to be integrated with other systems to streamline employee-related procedures.
• Flexible Work Scheduling and Task Allocation: Create dynamic work schedules that respond to market and employee needs, such as allowing hours to be adjusted according to seasonal demands or accommodating exceptional circumstances like holidays or special events.
• Leave Management: Streamline and expedite leave requests, saving time and avoiding overlaps, while allocating annual leave, sick leave, and unpaid leave in accordance with company policies and Saudi labor laws.
• Benefits and Rewards Management: Through the integrated human resources management technologies provided by Jisr program, benefits and rewards can also be managed in line with employee performance, such as incentive bonuses and allowances, or even the provision of additional perks that enhance employee satisfaction and motivate them to adhere to work hours and achieve higher productivity.