# Internal Work Regulations: Your Saudi Company's Rulebook *One document that sets working hours, leave, violations and penalties — and protects your rights as much as your employees'. When is it required, and how do you draft it?* > **In short:** What are internal work regulations, when are they mandatory, and how do you get them approved? A guide to hours, leave, penalties and ministry approval. - **URL:** https://www.snad.io/en/blog/laiha-dakhiliya-tanzim-amal - **Arabic original:** https://www.snad.io/blog/laiha-dakhiliya-tanzim-amal - **Category:** Guides — Human Resources - **Tags:** Internal Regulations, Work Organization, Disciplinary Penalties, Saudi Labor Law, Employee Rights, Human Resources, Ministry of Human Resources - **Published:** 2026-06-17 - **Updated:** 2026-08-02 - **Publisher:** Snad (snad.io) The internal work regulations are a written document that governs the relationship between an employer and its employees. They spell out working hours, leave, pay, violations, penalties and work procedures, acting as an internal constitution that both sides fall back on whenever a dispute arises. The Saudi Labor Law requires establishments above a certain size to draw up such regulations and have them approved by the Ministry of Human Resources. Having them in place protects the business and the employee alike, and cuts down on disputes. This guide explains when they are required and how to draft and approve them. ## What the internal work regulations are The internal work regulations are **a written document that governs the relationship between an employer and its employees**. They set out the rights and duties of each side: working hours, leave, pay, violations and penalties, and day-to-day work procedures. Think of the document as an **internal constitution** that everyone refers back to when a disagreement comes up, so nothing is left to personal judgement or mood. Having one turns people management from a run of individual, changeable decisions into a clear system that is published to everyone. ## When your business is required to have them The Saudi Labor Law requires establishments whose headcount reaches **a defined threshold** to draw up work regulations and have them approved by the competent authority. Even below that mandatory threshold, a clear set of regulations serves any business that employs people, because it structures the relationship and protects both sides. Review the current requirements published by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development to confirm the applicable threshold and the approval procedure. ## Why they protect you and your employees The regulations are a mutual protection: - **They protect the employer**: they establish a lawful basis for imposing a penalty when a rule is broken, so your decisions are not open to challenge. - **They protect the employee**: they guarantee fair treatment on terms known in advance, with no surprises. - **They reduce disputes**: a clear reference settles disagreements before they escalate. Without them, any penalty is exposed to challenge and any disagreement is left open to interpretation — and that costs the business time, money and credibility. ## The core elements of the regulations A sound set of regulations usually covers: - **Working hours and rest periods**, plus days off. - **Types of leave** and the conditions for earning them. - **Salaries, payment dates** and allowances. - **Employee duties and rules of conduct**. - **Violations and the penalties that match them**. - **End-of-service procedures**. Clarity and a reasonable level of detail are what make the document a practical reference rather than a formality left in a drawer. ## The schedule of violations and penalties One of the most important parts of the regulations is the **schedule of violations and penalties**: - It classifies violations (lateness, absence, negligence and so on) by degree. - It sets the graduated penalty for each violation and for each repeat offence (notice, written warning, deduction and so on). - It keeps the penalty **graduated and proportionate** to the violation. This schedule has to comply with the Saudi Labor Law rules that govern the types of penalties and their limits. No penalty may be imposed if it is not set out in the schedule or if it exceeds what is permitted. ## How to get them officially approved Writing the regulations is not enough; they must be **officially approved** before they take effect: - They are drafted in line with the requirements of the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development. - They are submitted to the competent authority for approval. - They are posted for employees in a visible place so that everyone is aware of them. Regulations that have not been approved, or have not been posted, may carry no weight in a dispute. Publication is a substantive condition, so that no employee can argue they were unaware of the rules. ## Common mistakes when drafting regulations Avoid these mistakes: - **Copying an off-the-shelf template** that does not fit the nature of your activity. - **Clauses that conflict with the Saudi Labor Law**, which makes them void. - **Penalties that are not graduated** or that exceed what is permitted. - **Failing to have the regulations approved or posted**. - **Leaving them without updates** as the rules change. The regulations are a living document. They need to be tailored to your activity and reviewed periodically as the legislation develops. ## How Snad helps you apply your regulations Regulations stay ink on paper unless they are applied in practice. Snad turns their clauses into daily execution: it **manages leave and leave balances** exactly as the document defines them, and **tracks clock-in and clock-out** so lateness and absence are captured. It then links all of that to payroll, so deductions and allowances are applied under the approved rules. That is how the regulations move from a document in a drawer to a disciplined system, applied to everyone fairly and on the record. ## Frequently asked questions ### What are the internal work regulations? They are a written document that governs the relationship between an employer and its employees and sets out the rights and duties of each side: working hours, leave, pay, violations, penalties and work procedures. The document acts as an internal constitution that both sides refer back to whenever a dispute arises. ### When is a business required to have internal work regulations? The Saudi Labor Law requires establishments whose headcount reaches a defined threshold to draw up regulations and have them approved by the competent authority. Review the current requirements published by the Ministry of Human Resources to confirm the applicable threshold. ### Why do I need internal regulations? Because they protect both sides. They give the business a lawful basis for imposing penalties, so its decisions are not open to challenge; they guarantee the employee fair treatment on terms known in advance; and they reduce disputes by providing a clear reference that settles disagreements. ### What does the schedule of violations and penalties contain? It classifies violations by degree and sets the graduated penalty for each violation and each repeat offence, keeping the penalty proportionate. It must comply with the Saudi Labor Law rules that govern the types of penalties and their limits, so no penalty may be imposed unless the schedule provides for it. ### Is writing the regulations enough for them to take effect? No. They must be officially approved in line with the requirements of the Ministry of Human Resources and posted for employees in a visible place. Regulations that have not been approved, or have not been posted, may carry no weight in a dispute. ### What are the most common mistakes in drafting internal regulations? Copying an off-the-shelf template that does not fit the activity; clauses that conflict with the Saudi Labor Law and are therefore void; penalties that are not graduated or that exceed what is permitted; failing to have the regulations approved or posted; and leaving them without updates as the rules change. --- ## About the publisher **Snad (سند)** — a private Saudi software company based in Riyadh, founded 2025. Legal form: Sole proprietorship. Commercial registration: 7038154642 VAT number: 310959226500003 Only official domain: snad.io > Snad is a private commercial business-management platform. It is not a > government body, not a bank, and not a government services portal, and it > is not affiliated with any government entity. Any site or app with a > similar name is unrelated to Snad.