Article 8 of the Saudi Civil Service Law
المادة 8 من نظام الخدمة المدنية · الفصل الأول: شغل الوظيفة
The article provides that the appointment decision of an employee who does not start his duties within 15 days of notification, without a legitimate excuse, is canceled and treated as if never made.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
الموظف الذي لا يباشر مهمات وظيفته دون عذر مشروع خلال خمسة عشر (15) يومًا من تاريخ إبلاغه قرار التعيين يلغى قرار تعيينه ويعتبر كأن لم يكن.
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 8 explained in plain English
This article deals with the case of an appointed employee who does not start work. If a decision is issued appointing a person to a post and he is notified of it, then does not start performing the duties of his post within 15 days of the date of his notification, and that is without a legitimate excuse, his appointment decision is canceled and treated as if it had never been made.
Three elements must come together for this rule to apply:
- The employee must be notified of the appointment decision, since the period starts from the date of notification, not the date the decision was issued.
- 15 days must pass from the date of notification without starting the duties of the post.
- The failure to start must be without a legitimate excuse; if there is a legitimate excuse, this rule does not apply under the article's text.
The phrase "treated as if it had never been made" means the appointment is treated as though it was never issued at all. The article does not specify what counts as a legitimate excuse or how it is proven.
The article comes within the provisions on filling posts: Article 7 deals with announcing posts and evaluating applicants, and Article 9 provides that an employee appointed for the first time is on probation for one year.
Anyone who was late starting because of a circumstance he considers a legitimate excuse, or whose appointment has been canceled, would do well to consult a lawyer specializing in administrative matters and civil service affairs to assess his situation.
Practical example
Majed was notified of his appointment at a government body in Dammam, but he did not start work and 20 days passed from his notification without any excuse. Under this article his appointment decision is canceled and treated as if never made. If his delay had been due to a legitimate excuse, this rule would not apply.
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 8 of the Saudi Civil Service Law
How long do I have to start work after the appointment decision?
Article 8 provides that the appointment decision of an employee who does not start his duties within 15 days of the date he is notified of the decision, without a legitimate excuse, is canceled.
From when is the 15-day period counted?
It is counted from the date the employee is notified of the appointment decision.
Is the appointment canceled if I have an excuse for the delay?
The article requires that the failure to start be without a legitimate excuse; if there is a legitimate excuse, the cancellation rule does not apply under its text.
More articles on Filling a Public Position
- Article 1
The article makes merit the basis on which employees are selected to fill public posts.
الجدارة هي الأساس في اختيار الموظفين لشغل الوظيفة العامة.
- Article 2
The article charges the Ministry of Civil Service with classifying posts, including contract-line posts, and refers the classification method and filling requirements to rules set by the Regulations.
تصنف وزارة الخدمة المدنية الوظائف، بما فيها وظائف البنود، ويحدد أسلوب تصنيفها ومتطلبات شغلها وفق قواعد تحددها اللائحة
- Article 4
The article sets the general conditions for appointment to government posts, such as nationality, age, fitness, conduct, qualification, no criminal record and no disciplinary dismissal, with specific exceptions.
مع مراعاة ما تقضيه به الأنظمة الأخرى، يشترط فيمن يعين على الوظائف أن يكون: أ- سعودي الجنسية، ويجوز استثناء من ذلك استخدام غير السعودي بصفة مؤقتة في الوظائف التي
- Article 5
The article provides that posts in the Royal Courts are filled by royal order.
يتم شغل وظائف الدواوين الملكية بأمر ملكي.
- Article 6Amended (1438 AH)
The article identifies who issues the decision to fill posts according to their grade, and allows employees in grades 14 and 15 to be transferred within the body by the Minister's decision after the Prime Minister's approval.
يكون شغل وظائف المرتبتين (الرابعة عشرة) و(الخامسة عشرة) بقرار من مجلس الوزراء، ويكون شغل وظائف المرتبة (الثالثة عشرة) فما دون بقرار من الوزير المختص وفقاً للشرو
- Article 7Amended (1438 AH)
The article requires the Ministry of Civil Service to announce posts of the tenth grade and below and their equivalents and to subject applicants to an evaluation with set standards, and allows a body to announce posts after the two ministers agree.
تعلن وزارة الخدمة المدنية عن الوظائف التي في المرتبة (العاشرة) فما دون وما يعادلها في سلالم رواتب الخدمة المدنية، ويخضع جميع المتقدمين لشغل هذه الوظائف لتقويم ت
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.