Article 26 of the Saudi Civil Service Law
المادة 26 من نظام الخدمة المدنية · الفصل الرابع: البدلات والمكافآت والتعويضات
Article 26 provides a cash reward for overtime hours to an employee assigned to work outside official working hours and during official holidays, under rules set by the Regulation.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
يصرف للموظف الذي يكلف بالعمل خارج وقت الدوام الرسمي وأثناء العطل الرسمية مكافأة نقدية عن الساعات الإضافية ، وتحدد اللائحة قواعد منح هذه المكافأة.
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 26 explained in plain English
This article regulates the overtime reward for an employee subject to the Civil Service Law. It contains the following elements:
- Who is entitled: the employee who is assigned to the work; entitlement is tied to an assignment.
- Time of work: outside official working hours and during official holidays.
- Type of entitlement: a cash reward for overtime hours.
- Rules of granting: set by the Regulation.
One of the most important points drawn from the text is that the reward is tied to being assigned to work outside working hours; the article's wording speaks of "the employee who is assigned". As for the amount of the reward, how it is calculated and any limits on it, the article does not state them but refers them to the Regulation.
This article relates to Article 27, which provides that the Regulation sets the types, amount and conditions of the allowances, rewards, compensations or benefits granted to the employee, and to Article 25 bis, which regulates contracting with consultants and experts to perform a particular service.
Anyone who worked outside working hours on assignment and was not paid the reward would do well to consult a lawyer specializing in administrative cases and civil service matters.
Practical example
An employee at a government entity in Medina is assigned to work during an official holiday to complete urgent transactions. Under this article, he is paid a cash reward for the overtime hours he worked, under the rules set by the Regulation.
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 26 of the Saudi Civil Service Law
Is a government employee entitled to a reward for working outside working hours?
Article 26 provides a cash reward for overtime hours to an employee who is assigned to work outside official working hours and during official holidays.
Is an assignment required for entitlement to the overtime reward?
The text speaks of the employee who is assigned to work outside official working hours and during official holidays.
How is the overtime reward calculated?
The article does not set a calculation method; it provides that the Regulation sets the rules for granting this reward.
More articles on Allowances and Rewards
- Article 22
Article 22 grants an employee on assignment a cash allowance for each day spent away from his place of work, inside or outside the Kingdom, in the categories set by the Financial Rights and Benefits Regulation.
يصرف للموظف المنتدب بدل نقدي عن كل يوم يقضيه خارج مقر عمله داخل المملكة أو خارجها وفق الفئات الي تحددها لائحة الحقوق والمزايا المالية
- Article 23
Article 23 empowers the competent Minister, by decision, to charge an employee with the work of a particular post or an official task, even while he continues his original duties.
يجوز بقرار من الوزير المختص تكليف الموظف بالقيام بأعمال وظيفة معينة أو بالقيام بمهمة رسمية ، كما يجوز تكليفه بذلك مع قيامه بمهام وظيفته الأصلية.
- Article 24
Article 24 allows an outstanding employee to be granted a cash reward by decision of the competent Minister, and the government entity to give a certificate of excellence, recognition or nomination for excellence awards, as the Regulation provides.
أ- يجوز بقرار من الوزير المختص منح الموظف المتميز مكافأة نقدية. وتحدد اللائحة مقدار اللائحة مقدار المكافأة وأسس منحها وشروطه وضوابطه. ب- للجهة الحكومية أن تكافئ
- Article 25Amended (1441 AH)
Article 25 allows contracting to perform the work of some posts, as the Regulation specifies.
يجوز التعاقد للقيام بأعمال بعض الوظائف وفقاً لم تحدده اللائحة
- Article 25 bisAmended (1439 AH)
Article 25 bis allows contracting with consultants and experts to perform a particular service under a model contract agreed with the Ministries of Civil Service and Finance, with the Regulation setting controls, procedures and how fees are determined.
يجوز التعاقد مع المستشارين والخبراء لأداء خدمة معينة، بموجب نموذج عقد يتفق عليه بين الجهة الحكومية ووزارتي الخدمة المدنية والمالية، يتضمن نطاق ومجال العمل المطل
- Article 27
Article 27 provides that the Regulation sets the types, amount and conditions of the allowances, rewards, compensations or benefits granted to an employee.
تحدد اللائحة أنواع ومقدار وشروط البدلات أو المكافآت أو التعويضات أو المزايا التي تمنح للموظف.
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.