King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, has extended the Eid Al-Fitr holidays for civilian and military government staff to include Shawwal 6-8. Since Shawwal 9 and 10 fall on the weekend, government offices will reopen on Saturday, Shawwal 11 (Oct. 11). The Eid holidays for government staff begin on Sept. 23 and with the extension it will be the longest Eid holidays yet. According to the Ministry of Labor, private sector staff will be entitled to a four-day Eid Al-Fitr holiday. Private sector employees willing to work on the National Day on September 23 will be entitled to one more day on their Eid Al-Fitr holiday, thus enjoying a five-day Eid break, said Muhammad Al-Daweesh, director of the Legal Department at the Ministry of Labor. Staff taking the day off during the National Day will receive 50 percent of the day's pay and a 4-day Eid holiday. All working hours performed during holidays and Eids are deemed overtime hours. __
