Resigning after marriage or childbirth in Saudi Arabia: Article 87 and the full award

Resigning normally cuts the Saudi end of service award, sometimes to nothing. Article 87 makes an exception for women who end their contract soon after marrying or giving birth. Get the timing right and the full award is due, whatever your length of service.

What Article 87 says

Article 87 of the Saudi Labour Law opens with the words "As an exception to the provisions of Article 85". It then gives a female worker the full end of service award if she ends her contract within six months of the date of her marriage or within three months of the date she gives birth.

The full award is the Article 84 award: half a month's wage for each of the first five years of service and a full month's wage for each year after, with parts of a year paid in proportion. Article 84 has no minimum service period. That's what makes Article 87 so valuable for women with short service.

Why it matters so much

Without Article 87, a resignation falls under Article 85, which pays only part of the award:

The six month and three month windows

Marriage. The Arabic text counts six months from the date of the marriage contract, not the wedding celebration. If your contract was signed months before the wedding, the window may already be closing.

Childbirth. Three months from the date you gave birth. Since February 2025, maternity leave is 12 weeks on full pay, with at least six weeks taken after the birth. If you take most of your leave after the birth, the three month window ends only a few days after your leave does. Don't wait until you're back at work to decide.

The law doesn't limit Article 87 to a first marriage or a first child. Each marriage contract or birth opens its own window.

Fitting your notice period inside the window

Article 87 says she must end her contract within the window. The cautious reading is that your resignation should be submitted inside the window, and ideally your last working day should fall inside it too. On an unlimited contract the employee's notice period is at least 30 days, and your contract may require more.

• After marriage, submit your resignation at least a month, or your full contractual notice, before the six months run out.
• After childbirth, you can submit it while you're still on maternity leave. Your notice can run during the leave.
• If your notice would end outside the window, ask your employer to agree in writing to a shorter notice period, and keep that agreement.

If you're on a fixed term contract, leaving before the end date can raise other claims between you and the employer, so read the termination clause before you resign.

Who it covers

Article 87 applies to every female worker covered by the Saudi Labour Law, Saudi and non Saudi alike. Domestic workers are under a separate regulation and aren't covered. The award is worked out on your last wage including fixed allowances such as housing and transport, as our wage basis guide explains.

Article 87 matters whatever view is taken of the February 2025 amendments. Some lawyers now argue that the Article 85 reduction applies only when a fixed term contract is ended early. If that view wins, many women on unlimited contracts get the full award anyway. If it doesn't, Article 87 is what protects them. Our Saudi guide explains both views.

What to submit

• A written resignation through Qiwa that states you are ending the contract under Article 87 of the Labour Law.
• A copy of your marriage contract, attested if it was issued outside Saudi Arabia, or your child's birth certificate or birth notification.
• A request that your final settlement shows the full Article 84 award, not the Article 85 share.

Keep screenshots of the Qiwa submission and its date. The date is your evidence that you acted inside the window.

Payment and disputes

Under Article 88, when the employee ends the contract, the employer must settle all entitlements within two weeks. If the settlement applies the Article 85 reduction anyway, raise it with HR in writing first, quoting Article 87. If that doesn't resolve it, file a claim with the Ministry of Human Resources, which tries amicable settlement before the case goes to the Labour Court. Claims must be brought within twelve months of the end of employment, so don't let it drift. Our claims guide covers the process.

The force majeure exception

The same article also gives any worker the full award if they leave because of force majeure beyond their control. The law doesn't define force majeure, so whether a situation qualifies is decided case by case. Don't rely on it without advice. The marriage and childbirth rules, by contrast, are specific and easy to prove.

Step by step

1. Note the date on your marriage contract or your child's birth certificate and work out when the window closes.
2. Check your notice period in your contract and count back from the closing date.
3. Run the calculator as an employer termination to see the full award you should receive.
4. Submit your resignation through Qiwa, citing Article 87, with the supporting document.
5. Check the final settlement against your figure before you sign, using our checklist.