Summary
The statutory deadline for paying end-of-service dues, how to file through the Ministry of Human Resources friendly-settlement service, then a claim in the Labor Court via Najiz, and what to do if you are non-Saudi and your residency is about to expire.
What is the legal deadline for payment?
Article 88 of the Labor Law sets a clear deadline: if the employer ended the contract, it must pay the worker's wages and settle all entitlements within one week at most of the end of the relationship. If the worker ended the contract, the employer must settle all entitlements within two weeks. The employer may deduct debts arising from the employment, but only within the statutory deduction limits.
Exceeding this period is itself a violation, with the same consequences as delayed wages. If a month or more has passed while "finance is reviewing" or "it is waiting for the manager's signature", you are facing an unlawful delay, not a normal internal step.
Step 1: gather the evidence and fix the amount
Before any complaint, prepare: the employment contract, the last three payslips or bank transfers (proving the actual wage), the resignation letter or termination decision, any correspondence about the dues, and your GOSI certificate (proving the start date and registered wage). Then calculate what you are owed: end-of-service award, leave balance, late salaries, commissions, pay in lieu of notice if none was given, and the return ticket.
A claim for a specific, documented figure is resolved far faster than a general claim for "my rights". The award calculation with examples is in How end-of-service gratuity is calculated.
Step 2: a formal demand letter
A written demand letter from a lawyer, stating the amount, its legal basis and a payment deadline, resolves a large share of cases without litigation. The company then understands that the dispute will reach the Labor Court at higher cost and risk to it, and that wage delays are tracked by the Wage Protection System. The letter is sent to the company's official address with proof of delivery; it becomes the first document in the case file if they do not respond.
Step 3: friendly settlement at the Ministry of Human Resources
Friendly settlement is a mandatory step before court. The complaint is filed online through the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development's friendly-settlement service, and a session is scheduled with a settlement officer who summons both parties. The process has a set period (21 working days); if agreement is reached, the settlement record is documented and enforceable like a judgment, and if not, or if the employer fails to attend, the claim is referred automatically to the Labor Court.
Practical advice: do not accept less than your entitlement in the settlement session under pressure of "take it now or wait a year". The Labor Court is faster than commonly believed, and a worker's labor claim is exempt from court fees.
Step 4: the claim in the Labor Court
The claim is registered through the Ministry of Justice's Najiz platform, and hearings are mostly held remotely. The court reviews the statement of claim and documents and requires the employer to respond and prove what it alleges (such as the ground for dismissal or payment of dues). Judgments in claims for specific dues are typically issued within a few months, then enforced through the Enforcement Court, which can freeze the company's accounts.
Deadline warning: a labor claim is not accepted after twelve months from the end of the employment relationship (Article 222). Many workers lose their rights by waiting and assuming good faith, not because their case is weak.
If you are non-Saudi: residency, final exit and power of attorney
The end of the relationship does not extinguish your right, and leaving the Kingdom does not either. But sequence things this way: file the friendly-settlement complaint before final exit where possible, register a power of attorney for a lawyer through Najiz to pursue the claim, enforcement and collection in your absence, and keep copies of every document outside company devices. An employer may not condition final exit or sponsorship transfer on your signing a release for less than you are owed, and that pressure itself is recorded in the complaint.
The return ticket at the end of the relationship is on the employer by default, unless you move to another employer, and residency and work-permit fees are the employer's and cannot be deducted from you. See also the complete guide to labor cases, then request a consultation from our employment law team to fix your figure and start the claim.