JEDDAH — A Saudi labor court has ordered an Arab barber to pay SR40,866 in compensation to his employer after ruling that he breached his employment contract by leaving his job without following the legal procedures for terminating the agreement, Okaz newspaper reported.According to the ruling, the compensation was calculated based on the remaining 621 days of the worker's fixed-term employment contract.Court documents showed that the barber arrived in Saudi Arabia to work in Jeddah under a three-year employment contract, officially documented with the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development. He began work on Sept. 19, 2024.In early 2026, he received a job offer for the same profession in Madinah and left his employer without notifying the company.When he attempted to transfer his employment services to the new employer, the company rejected the request and demanded reimbursement of the statutory fees it had incurred. After the transfer failed, the worker traveled to his home country on leave.The company subsequently filed a lawsuit before the labor court seeking compensation for breach of contract.According to the judgment, the worker failed to attend several court hearings despite being formally notified. The court ruled in favor of the company, and the judgment has become final and enforceable.Commenting on the case, lawyer Rayan Abdulrahman Al-Juhani said workers and employers should seek legal advice before taking actions that could have contractual consequences.He said Saudi labor law provides legitimate grounds for employees to leave their jobs under Article 81 and for employers to dismiss workers under Article 80, while Article 77 regulates compensation when either party unlawfully terminates an employment contract without a legitimate reason.Al-Juhani said the case highlights the importance of understanding labor regulations to protect the rights and obligations of both employees and employers.In 1444 AH, the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development made it mandatory for establishments to document employment contracts through the Qiwa platform, from contract registration and updates to occupations, wages and qualifications through to the termination of the employment relationship, as part of efforts to regulate and improve contractual relations between employers and workers.