Saudi Sick-Leave Pay: Article 117 Explained
Full pay for the first 30 days, three-quarter pay for the next 60, and no pay for the following 30, within a year beginning with the first sick leave.
Direct answer: how are the days divided?
Article 117 of Saudi Labor Law divides proven sick leave into three pay bands within a single year, whether the absences are continuous or separate. That year begins on the date of the first sick leave; each separate absence does not restart it. This guide concerns workers covered by the Labor Law; domestic-worker rules differ.
| Cumulative sick-leave days | Pay rate |
|---|---|
| 1–30 | Full pay (100%) |
| 31–90 | Three-quarter pay (75%) |
| 91–120 | Unpaid (0%) |
Governing source: Saudi Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development, working conditions, Article 117.
Worked example: SAR 6,000 wage and 100 days
The calculator estimates one day of pay as monthly wage / 30, so the daily rate is SAR 200. The first 30 days × SAR 200 = SAR 6,000. The next 60 × SAR 200 × 75% = SAR 9,000. The final 10 days are unpaid. Estimated pay across these sick-leave days totals SAR 15,000. This is the combined pay for the leave period, not one month’s salary or an additional payment on top of it.
What to enter, and what the calculator cannot decide
Enter your monthly wage and the total continuous and separate sick-leave days in the year that began with your first sick leave. The calculator accepts whole days from 1 to 120. It does not derive the year’s starting date from your records, verify proof of illness or contract details, calculate domestic-worker entitlements, or determine treatment after day 120. Keep your leave and wage records and compare the estimate with payroll when needed.
Common questions
Are days 91–120 at half pay?
No. Article 117 makes those days unpaid; it has no half-pay band. Pay accrued for earlier days remains in the estimate.
Do the bands restart after a separate absence?
No. Continuous and separate sick leaves are added within the year beginning on the first sick leave. Returning to work between absences does not restart the count.