Skip to main content

Saudi Arabia to pay some private sector salaries amid coronavirus fallout

Riyadh has announced it will cover a portion of private sector salaries in the industries most impacted by the novel coronavirus pandemic.

GettyImages-1208944694.jpg
Pigeons fly around closed shops in the old town of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, April 2, 2020. — AMER HILABI/AFP via Getty Images

To prevent companies from laying off their staff, Saudi Arabia’s King Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud announced Friday the government will cover a portion of private sector salaries in the industries most impacted by the novel coronavirus.

Salman unveiled an economic stimulus valued at over 9 billion riyals ($2.4 billion), according to the state-run Saudi Press Agency. Under his royal decree, companies needing to lay off employees can instead apply for the government to compensate 60% of those salaries for the next three months. 

Subscribe for unlimited access

All news, events, memos, reports, and analysis, and access all 10 of our newsletters. Learn more

$14 monthly or $100 annually ($8.33/month)
OR

Continue reading this article for free

All news, events, memos, reports, and analysis, and access all 10 of our newsletters. Learn more.

By signing up, you agree to Al-Monitor’s Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy. Already have an account? Log in