Article 37 of the Saudi Civil Service Law
المادة 37 من نظام الخدمة المدنية · الباب الثالث: أحكام عامة وانتقالية
Article 37 allows particular posts to be exempted from some provisions of the Civil Service Law, as the Regulation provides and in agreement with the Minister of Finance.
Official text after amendments (Arabic)
Compiled from the original text and every officially published amendment; the amendments are shown in full below for comparison.
يجوز استثناء وظائف معينة من بعض أحكام هذا النظام وفق ما تنظمه اللائحة، وذلك بالاتفاق مع وزير المالية
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 37 explained in plain English
This article gives flexibility in applying the Civil Service Law, as it allows particular posts to be exempted from some of its provisions.
The exemption in the text has three controls:
- It applies to particular posts, not to posts in general.
- It is from some provisions of the Law, not from the whole Law.
- It is made as the Regulation provides, and in agreement with the Minister of Finance.
The article itself does not specify the exempted posts or the provisions from which exemption is permitted, but leaves this to what the Regulation provides, while requiring the agreement of the Minister of Finance.
This article was amended under Royal Decree No. (M/139) dated 19/10/1441 AH to take its current text.
The distinction between this article and Article 37 bis is useful: Article 37 speaks of exempting particular posts from some provisions within the scope of the Law, while Article 37 bis determines on whom the Law applies in the first place, and exempts the employees of entities to which special laws or regulations apply, within the limits those laws and regulations provide.
Anyone who wants to know whether his post is among the exempted posts and what follows from that may consult a lawyer specializing in administrative and civil service cases.
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 37 of the Saudi Civil Service Law
Can some posts be exempted from the Civil Service Law?
Yes. The article allows particular posts to be exempted from some provisions of the Law as the Regulation provides, in agreement with the Minister of Finance.
Does the exemption cover all provisions of the Law?
No. The text speaks of exemption from "some" provisions of the Law.
What is the Minister of Finance's role in exempting posts?
The article requires the exemption to be made in agreement with the Minister of Finance.
Amendment history
Royal Decree No. M/139 — 19/10/1441 AH
Official amendment text (Arabic)
- عُدلت هذه المادة وذلك بموجب المرسوم الملكي رقم (م/139) وتاريخ 1441/10/19هـ، لتكون بالنص الآتي:
"يجوز استثناء وظائف معينة من بعض أحكام هذا النظام وفق ما تنظمه اللائحة، وذلك بالاتفاق مع وزير المالية".
Original text before the amendments (Arabic)
يجوز بقرار من مجلس الخدمة المدنية استثناء وظائف معينة من بعض أحكام هذا النظام.
More articles on General Provisions of the Civil Service
- Article 15 bis
تجعل المادة إدارة الموارد البشرية في كل جهة حكومية مسؤولة عن تطبيق النظام ولوائحه، وتلزم الإدارات بالرجوع إليها، والجهة بالرجوع إلى الوزارة فيما يعترضها.
- أُضيفت هذه المادة وذلك بموجب المرسوم الملكي رقم (م/95) وتاريخ 1439/9/15هـ، لتكون بالنص الآتي: "تتولى إدارة الموارد البشرية في الجهة الحكومية تطبيق أحكام هذا ا
- Article 31
Article 31 allows the Minister to delegate some of his powers under the Civil Service Law to others, without specifying to whom or which powers.
للوزير تفويض بعض صلاحياته المقررة في هذا النظام.
- Article 32
Article 32 gives the head of an independent agency, with respect to his agency's employees, the powers the Minister has with respect to ministry employees.
يكون لرئيس المصلحة المستقلة بالنسبة لموظفي هذه المصلحة من الصلاحيات ما للوزير بالنسبة لموظفي الوزارة.
- Article 37 bisAmended (1438 AH)
Article 37 bis applies the Civil Service Law to civil employees who hold permanent posts in the state's general budget, excluding employees of entities governed by special laws or regulations, within the limits those provide.
تسري أحكام هذا النظام على جميع الموظفين المدنيين الذين يشغلون وظائف ثابتة في الميزانية العامة للدولة، ويستثنى من تطبيق أحكامه موظفو الجهات الذين تسري في شأنهم أ
- Article 38
Article 38 provides that the Civil Service Law replaces the Employees Law (Royal Decree No. M/5 dated 1/2/1391 AH) for employees originally subject to it and for those whose own systems the Employees Law supplemented, within the limits those systems provide.
يحل هذا النظام محل نظام الموظفين الصادر بالمرسوم الملكي رقم م/5 وتاريخ 1 / 2 / 1391 هـ وذلك : أ - بالنسبة للموظفين الخاضعين بصفة أصلية لهذا النظام. ب - بالنسبة
- Article 39
Article 39 provides that the Council of Ministers issues the regulations of the Civil Service Law and may authorize the Minister of Civil Service to issue some of them.
يصدر مجلس الوزراء لوائح هذا النظام، وللمجلس تفويض وزير الخدمة المدنية في إصدار بعض منها
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.