Executive Regulation for Human Resources in the Civil Service

Purpose and scope

• The Executive Regulation of the Civil Service Law, covering appointment, probation, promotion, transfer, assignment, performance, leave, training, duties and end of service.
• Its implementation is supervised by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development (Article 2); it applies to all employees except those governed by special laws or regulations, within their scope (Article 5).

Key rules, rights and obligations

• Working days are Sunday to Thursday (Article 10), 7 hours a day and 5 hours in Ramadan (Article 11); the weekend is Friday and Saturday (Article 127).
• A candidate may not start before the appointment decision is issued (Article 39), and the appointment is cancelled if they do not start within 15 days of notice without excuse (Article 40).
• Probation lasts a full year and is extended by any absence (Article 41); dismissal for unsuitability is possible during it by a decision issued before it ends (Article 45).
• Transfer to a lower-grade job requires the employee's written consent (Article 64).
• Ordinary leave of 36 days a year on full pay (Article 130), to be taken within 3 years after the year it accrues; it may be deferred to a fourth year with approval, otherwise it lapses (Article 131).
• Sick leave of up to two years within 4 years: 6 months on full pay, then 6 months on half pay, then a year on quarter pay (Article 141).
• Maternity leave of 70 days on full pay (Article 151); childcare leave of up to 3 years over the whole career at quarter pay, not less than SAR 1,500 a month (Article 152); paternity leave of 3 days (Article 153); bereavement leave of 5 days (Article 150).

Violations, penalties and common problems

• Employees may not abuse authority, trade on influence, take bribes, forge, engage in trade, or found or manage companies unless appointed by the government (Article 209).
• Breaching the regulation or the code of conduct is a violation leading to accountability (Article 206).
• Service ends for unexcused absence of 15 consecutive days or 30 separate days in a year, or for failing to carry out a transfer decision within 15 days (Articles 210 and 226).
• An employee is dismissed on disciplinary grounds after a final judgment for a hadd or qisas offence, or for corruption, bribery, forgery, embezzlement or drug crimes, or a prison sentence of over a year (Article 228).
• Untaken leave is compensated at the end of service up to 72 days, or in full in case of death or medical incapacity (Article 133).

Procedures and key deadlines

• A resignation is submitted to the direct manager; service ends only when it is accepted or 30 days pass without a decision, and the employee may not leave before then (Articles 211 and 213).
• Acceptance may be postponed in the interest of work for up to 60 days (Article 215), and is refused for an employee who is suspended or referred for investigation or trial (Article 216).
• An employee absent with an excuse must report it within 15 days of the absence (Article 227).
• Work on public holidays may be compensated with leave day for day, and the Eid day and the two days after it at two days for one, to be taken within a year (Article 129).
• A performance appraisal may not be changed after approval without the competent minister's consent (Article 122).

An advisory summary prepared by Al-Bayan Al-Wadih Law Firm. It is not an official text and does not replace the law, its implementing regulations, or advice from a specialised lawyer. The official published text and its amendments prevail.