National Policy on Equal Opportunity and Treatment in Employment and Occupation

Purpose and scope

• A national policy approved by Council of Ministers Decision No. 416 dated 11/6/1444H, setting out the concepts and principles of equal opportunity and equal treatment in employment and occupation.
• It covers everyone subject to the Civil Service Law and the Labour Law in government bodies, the private sector and the non-profit sector.
• It is a guiding framework for the bodies concerned, not a law imposing penalties itself; penalties remain in the laws those bodies apply.

Key rules, rights and obligations

• Discrimination: any distinction, exclusion or preference based on race, colour, sex, national or social origin, disability or age that impairs equal opportunity or treatment at work.
• A distinction based on qualifications a job requires is not discrimination, nor is a distinction between citizens and non-citizens.
• Equality covers terms and conditions of work, promotion, pay and training, starting from job advertisements and hiring.
• Groups with fewer opportunities: persons with disabilities, residents of less developed and high-unemployment areas, older persons and others the policy identifies.

Violations, penalties and common problems

• Common practices at odds with the policy include job advertisements requiring a sex or age without real need, and unequal pay for work of equal value.
• The policy aims to set effective remedies for discriminatory practices and to train inspectors to detect them.

Procedures and key deadlines

• The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development monitors implementation and is the reference for questions on the policy.
• Anyone facing discrimination at work can complain to the ministry or the competent body under the Labour Law or the Civil Service Law, depending on their employer.

An advisory summary prepared by Al-Bayan Al-Wadih Law Firm. It is not an official text and does not replace the law, its implementing regulations, or advice from a specialised lawyer. The official published text and its amendments prevail.