Appealing a Labor Court Judgment in Saudi Arabia: Deadlines and Options

The appeal deadline: 30 days

Under the Law of Civil Procedure, the period for filing an appeal is 30 days. In summary cases, it is 10 days (Article 187).

If the deadline passes without an appeal, the right to appeal is forfeited and the judgment is recorded as final (Article 187).

When the 30 days start

The objection period starts on the date a copy of the judgment is delivered to the party (Article 179(1)).

If the losing party does not come to collect the copy, it is deposited in the case file. The deposit starts the period (Article 179(1)).

In practice, judgments and case documents are made available electronically. Check your case file regularly once judgment is near, so you do not lose days.

Small claims: no appeal, but reconsideration may be possible

Some labor judgments fall within the small-claims rules and may not be open to an ordinary appeal. Check the current classification and the judgment before deciding which objection route is available.

In those cases, a petition for reconsideration under Article 200 of the Law of Civil Procedure may still be available.

Petition for reconsideration

Article 200 of the Law of Civil Procedure allows a party to petition for reconsideration of a final judgment in listed circumstances. These include judgments based on forged documents or obtained by fraud. The period for the petition is 30 days (Article 201).

Reconsideration is not a second appeal. It is limited to the specific grounds the law lists.

Cassation before the Supreme Court

After the Court of Appeal rules, a further objection by cassation may be possible. The period for filing a petition for cassation is 30 days, or 15 days in summary cases. Missing it forfeits the right (Article 194).

Cassation is not a full rehearing of the facts. It is reserved for specific legal grounds.

What a strong appeal looks like

• Identify each error. Explain exactly what the court got wrong, item by item: the calculation of the award, the wage used, the reason for termination, or the evidence it ignored.
• Link each error to evidence already in the file, or explain why new evidence matters.
• Recalculate the amounts. If the dispute is about money, show the correct figure.
• File on time. An excellent appeal filed on day 31 is lost.

Example: A mechanical supervisor's labor court judgment awarded his end-of-service award calculated on his basic salary only. He received the judgment copy on 5 March. His lawyer files the appeal on 20 March, within 30 days. The appeal argues that the award should be calculated on the actual wage, which includes the housing and transport allowances (Articles 2 and 84). See Are Allowances Included in End of Service Pay?

Remote filing and hearings

Electronic litigation can support document submissions, hearings and objections. Check the procedure and attendance directions in your case.

For employers

The same deadlines apply to employers. If the company intends to object, start preparing as soon as the judgment is delivered.

An appeal is also a chance to correct how the court applied Article 80 or Article 77. Make sure the termination file and warnings are in the record. See Labor Law Support for Employers.