Kuwait EOSB Compliance for HR: Employer Obligations Under Labour Law

Last updated: June 2026 · Legal reference: Kuwait Labour Law No. 6 of 2010, Articles 51–53

Kuwait Labour Law No. 6 of 2010 requires private sector employers to pay end of service benefit (EOSB) — known locally as indemnity — to every employee who completes at least one year of service. The correct amount depends on whether the employee resigned or was terminated, the number of completed years served, and the employee's basic salary — not their total package. Getting any one of these three inputs wrong results in a calculation that is either non-compliant or exposed to legal challenge.

Who is entitled to EOSB under Kuwait Labour Law?

All private sector employees governed by Kuwait Labour Law No. 6 of 2010 who have completed at least one full year of continuous service are entitled to EOSB on exit. This applies regardless of nationality, contract type (limited or unlimited duration), or the reason the employment ended — subject to the formula differences between resignation and termination described below.

Employees who leave before completing one full year of service are not entitled to statutory EOSB. However, if the employment contract grants a more generous provision — for example, pro-rated EOSB from the first day — the contractual term applies and the employer must honour it.

The correct salary base: basic salary only

The most common HR calculation error in Kuwait is using total salary — including housing and transport allowances — instead of basic salary. Article 51 of Kuwait Labour Law No. 6 of 2010 specifies that EOSB is calculated on the employee's basic salary at the time of departure. Fixed allowances are excluded from the EOSB base unless the employment contract explicitly provides otherwise.

HR should always use the basic salary figure from the most recent salary revision letter — not the figure from the original offer letter if the employee has received salary increases during their tenure. Using an outdated basic salary to calculate EOSB is a compliance failure regardless of whether it is intentional.

Termination formula vs resignation formula

Kuwait Labour Law uses two different formulas depending on how the employment ends. Applying the termination formula to a resignation — or vice versa — is one of the most consequential HR errors, producing either an overpayment or an underpayment that can be challenged at the Labour Court.

For a full explanation of how these formulas interact with service brackets, see the Kuwait EOSB guide. Employees who want to verify their own figure independently use the Kuwait EOSB Calculator — the same figures HR produces should match what employees see there.

The 18-month cap: how it applies in practice

Kuwait Labour Law caps total EOSB at 18 months of basic salary, regardless of how many years the employee has served. This cap applies to both termination and resignation, and HR must apply it when the mathematical total exceeds 18 months.

Under the termination formula, the cap triggers at 18 years of service (18 years × 1 month = 18 months). An employee terminated after 20 years still receives the same EOSB as one terminated after 18 years — assuming no contractual enhancement.

Under the resignation formula for 10+ year employees, the cap also triggers at 18 years of service. For employees in the 5–10 year bracket (2/3 month per year), the cap does not typically come into play given the lower multiplier and the bracket limit.

Notice period obligations: what HR must pay

In addition to EOSB, the employer must ensure that notice period obligations are correctly handled. Under Kuwait Labour Law, the minimum notice period for employees with unlimited-duration contracts is three months for employees earning above KWD 2,000/month and varies by service band for others — check the specific article applicable to the employee's contract type.

If the employer terminates the employee without serving the required notice, a payment in lieu of notice (PILON) must be included in the final settlement. This is a separate line item from EOSB and is calculated on the employee's total salary — not just basic — as it substitutes for actual working time.

If an employee resigns and does not serve their notice, the employer may deduct the equivalent of the unserved notice period from the final settlement. Use the Notice Period Calculator to confirm the required notice length before processing any deduction.

Annual leave payout: the third line in every settlement

Every compliant Kuwait settlement letter includes three mandatory components: EOSB, notice pay (or PILON), and unused annual leave payout. HR teams that issue settlement letters covering only EOSB are producing incomplete — and non-compliant — settlements.

Annual leave payout is calculated on basic salary (Article 70): daily rate = basic salary × 12 ÷ 365, multiplied by the number of unused leave days. Leave accrues during the notice period, so the leave balance must be calculated through the employee's last working day, not the date of resignation notice.

The Kuwait Final Settlement Checklist walks through each component in detail and can be used as an internal HR verification tool before issuing any settlement letter.

What triggers a PAM complaint — and how to avoid it

The Public Authority for Manpower (PAM) is the first enforcement body an employee will approach if they believe their settlement is wrong. A PAM complaint is filed easily — in person or, increasingly, online — and results in PAM summoning the employer to a mediation session, typically within 10 to 21 working days of the complaint.

The most common triggers for PAM complaints related to EOSB are: using the wrong formula (termination vs resignation); using total salary instead of basic salary in the EOSB calculation; omitting the leave payout from the settlement; applying an undocumented deduction; and failing to issue the settlement promptly after the last day.

Record-keeping requirements for EOSB compliance

If a PAM complaint is filed or the matter proceeds to the Kuwait Labour Court, HR will be expected to produce a specific set of documents. The absence of any one of these can undermine the employer's position even if the calculation itself was correct.

Kuwait Labour Courts retain jurisdiction over EOSB claims for up to three years after the date the entitlement arose. HR records should be retained for at least three years from each employee's exit date.

Service anniversary planning: why timing matters in HR

For employees who resign close to a service bracket boundary — for example, approaching 3, 5, or 10 years — the exact last working day determines which EOSB bracket applies. An employee who resigns one week before completing 5 years receives the 3–5 year rate. One week later and they qualify for the 5–10 year rate.

From an HR compliance standpoint, using the correct anniversary date is critical. Service years are calculated from the start date on the employment contract to the last working day — not the date notice was given. If the employment contract was preceded by a probation period that is recorded separately, confirm whether that period counts toward total service under the contract terms.

Employees can check how their own service anniversary affects their entitlement using the Smart Resignation Planner — a tool that shows exactly how the EOSB figure changes week by week as service years accumulate.

Frequently asked questions

Reviewed against Kuwait Labour Law No. 6 of 2010 — June 2026. This guide is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice.