Article 33 of the Saudi Civil Retirement Law
المادة 33 من نظام التقاعد المدني
The Ministry of Finance or the public bodies pay a percentage of the salaries of hired staff in service when the Law took effect, for their earlier service, 9% for those who did not join the 1381 AH retirement law and 6% for those who did.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
تدفع وزارة المالية والاقتصاد الوطني أو الهيئات العامة حسب الأحوال عن المستخدمين الموجودين في الخدمة وقت نفاذ هذا النظام الخاضعين عند نفاذه للأحكام المنصوص عليها في الباب الثالث من نظام التقاعد المدني الصادر عام 1381 هـ، تدفع عنهم نسبة من مرتباتهم عن خدمتهم السابقة لنفاذ هذا النظام قدرها (9%) عن الذين لم يشتركوا منهم في نظام التقاعد المدني لعام 1381هـ، و (6%) عن الذين اشتركوا منهم فيه، ويتم دفع هذه النسبة بالكيفية التي يقرها وزير المالية والاقتصاد الوطني . ويسري الحكم السابق على موظفي خارج الهيئة أو المستخدمين الذين عينوا قبل نفاذ هذا النظام في وظائف خاضعة للباب الثاني من نظام التقاعد المدني لعام 1381هـ، إذا كانوا لا يزالون في الخدمة عند نفاذ هذا النظام.
This is the official Arabic wording, the only legally binding version. We do not translate the law itself; the explanation below is ours. Official source: Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers
Article 33 explained in plain English
This is a transitional Article that deals with the situation of categories who were in service when the Law came into force, and specifies who pays for their earlier service.
The first category: Hired staff who were in service at the time this Law came into force, and who were subject when it came into force to the provisions of Part Three of the civil retirement law issued in 1381 AH.
What is paid for them: The Ministry of Finance and National Economy or the public bodies, as the case may be, pay a percentage of their salaries for their service before this Law came into force:
- 9% for those who had not joined the 1381 AH civil retirement law.
- 6% for those who had joined it.
How it is paid: This percentage is paid in the manner the Minister of Finance and National Economy approves; the Article does not state the details.
The second category: The same rule applies to employees outside the cadre or hired staff who were appointed before this Law came into force to posts subject to Part Two of the 1381 AH civil retirement law, if they were still in service when this Law came into force.
The practical meaning is that it is the government body, not the employee, that bears this percentage for the earlier service. The Article comes after Article 32 on counting earlier service for someone reinstated, and before Article 34, which explains how the age of a retiree or beneficiary is determined. Its importance today is mostly historical, but it may matter to anyone reviewing how old service was counted.
Translated from our Arabic explanation with machine assistance. For guidance only; it does not replace advice from a lawyer on your situation.
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Frequently asked questions about Article 33 of the Saudi Civil Retirement Law
Who pays for the earlier service of hired staff when the Law took effect?
The Ministry of Finance and National Economy or the public bodies, as the case may be, pay a percentage of their salaries for their earlier service.
What percentage is paid for earlier service?
9% for those who had not joined the 1381 AH civil retirement law, and 6% for those who had joined it.
Does the rule cover employees outside the cadre?
Yes, if they were appointed before the Law took effect to posts subject to Part Two of the 1381 AH law and were still in service when it took effect.
More articles on Persons Covered by the Civil Retirement Law
- Article 1
The Article defines the key terms of the Civil Retirement Law, such as employee, public body, retiree, pension, gratuity, pensioner and beneficiary.
يًقصد بالاصطلاحات الآتية - حيث وردت في النظام - المعاني المعرفة بها هنا:- الموظف : من تربطه بالدولة أو الهيئات العامة علاقة لائحية لها صفة الدوام، ويشمل هذا الل
- Article 2
The Article defines who is covered by the Civil Retirement Law, namely Saudi civilian employees appointed to grades, with rules for those holding more than one grade and for ministers who receive monthly allowances.
تسري أحكام هذا النظام على جميع الموظفين السعوديين المدنيين المعينين على مراتب في الميزانية العامة للدولة أو ميزانيات الهيئات العامة ، على أنه إذا شغل الموظف أكث
- Article 10
The Agency is liable only for pensions and retirement entitlements that fell due under this Law and the 1378 and 1381 AH retirement laws; the Ministry of Finance or the public body bears those that fell due under earlier laws.
لا تلتزم معاشات التقاعد إلا بالمعاشات والعائدات التقاعدية التي تكون قد استحقت وفقًا لأحكام هذا النظام ونظامي التقاعد لعامي 1378 و 1381هـ. أما المعاشات والتعويضا
- Article 11
The Article transfers the rights and obligations under the 1381 AH retirement law to this Law, and increases existing pensions by graduated percentages, up to a maximum of SAR 2,000.
تنتقل الحقوق والالتزامات المترتبة على النظام الصادر بالمرسوم الملكي رقم (6) في 19 /2 /1381هـ إلى هذا النظام. كما تزاد المعاشات المستحقة بموجب أنظمة التقاعد المد
- Article 36
The article provides that where a pensioner who became entitled to the pension before this Law took effect dies after it took effect, the beneficiaries are treated under the provisions of this Law.
إذا توفي بعد نفاذ هذا النظام صاحب معاش استحقه قبل نفاذه، فيعامل المستحقون عنه وفقًا لأحكام هذا النظام.
The texts are reproduced from the official website of the Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers for reference; where they differ, the officially published Arabic text prevails. This content is not legal advice.