A dismissal decision stamped "under Article 80" does not, by itself, wipe out a worker's rights. Article 80 of the Labor Law issued by Royal Decree M/51, as amended by Royal Decree M/44 of 1446H, effective 19 February 2025 is the gate for dismissal on grave grounds: defined cases where the contract ends without an end-of-service award, without notice, and without compensation. The grounds are narrow, the employer bears the burden of proving both the facts and that the ground applies, and the law enables the worker to object.
What Article 80 actually does
In the ordinary course, employer-initiated termination carries familiar entitlements: the Article 84 end-of-service award, a notice period or pay in lieu, and possibly Article 77 compensation if the termination was unlawful. Article 80 removes all of that at once — but only when one of its defined cases is proven. So the decisive question in any dispute is not "was Article 80 cited?" but "did the employer prove the incident, and does it genuinely fall within the statutory grounds?"
The grounds the law lists
Among the cases official references list under this article:
- Assault — against the persons the law specifies in the work context.
- Essential breach of the obligations arising from the employment contract.
- Violating safety instructions after a warning to the worker.
- Absence under the statutory conditions set for it.
These cases are read narrowly, and whether any of them applies to the facts of a specific case is a matter the Labor Court examines when disputed.
The burden of proof sits with the employer
It is not enough for the employer to write "dismissed under Article 80" on the termination decision. The employer must prove the incident and show the ground applies to the case. If the proof fails or the ground does not fit, the dispute returns to the general rules: end-of-service entitlements, notice pay where notice was skipped, and Article 77 compensation for unlawful termination where its conditions are met. The award at stake can be estimated with the end-of-service calculator.
Article 80 versus Article 77 — comparison
| Aspect | Proven Article 80 dismissal | Unlawful termination (Article 77) | | --- | --- | --- | | End-of-service award | Not due | Remains claimable where earned | | Notice or pay in lieu | No notice and no pay in lieu | Among the rights that can be claimed | | Compensation | None | 15 days' wage per year of service (indefinite contract), or the wage of the remaining term (fixed-term), minimum two months' wage | | Condition | Employer proves the incident and the ground applies | Termination for an unlawful cause or without observing the law and the contract |
Article 77 compensation does not cancel claims for other dues such as unpaid wages, leave balance, or the end-of-service award where earned.
The objection path, step by step
The law enables the worker to object, and the statutory route for a labor dispute runs as follows:
- Amicable settlement at the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development — the first stage, aimed at resolving the dispute before litigation, with complaints filed through official channels such as the Qiwa platform.
- Referral to the Labor Court if no settlement is reached, within 21 working days of the first session, per the settlement and labor-claims services.
- Filing the statement of claim through Najiz under judicial services: classifying the claim, entering the parties and requests, and attaching documents — the contract, payroll records, the dismissal decision, and any correspondence.
The court examines whether the incident is proven and the ground applies, then rules on the entitlements accordingly. More labor guides live in the labor section.
When do you need a licensed lawyer?
This page is general legal information. Article 80 disputes turn on detailed facts and proof: did the breach occur, did a warning precede the safety violation, were the statutory absence conditions met? The answers differ file by file. Situations where the matter becomes case-specific — multiple dismissal grounds in one decision, conflicting documents, or a dispute entangled with other claims such as unpaid wages — are the natural territory of a licensed lawyer who can assess the file and frame the requests before the Labor Court.