Article 22 of the Saudi Employee Discipline Law
المادة 22 من نظام الانضباط الوظيفي
The article allows the Minister, by written decision, to delegate whomever he sees fit among the entity's personnel with some of his powers under the Law, except for imposing the penalty of dismissal.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
يجوز للوزير -بقرار مكتوب- تفويض من يراه من منسوبي الجهة، ببعض صلاحياته المقررة في النظام، عدا إيقاع جزاء الفصل.
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 22 explained in plain English
This article governs the delegation of the Minister's powers under the Employee Discipline Law. Under Article 1, the Minister is the minister responsible for the affairs of his ministry or the head of the independent entity, as the case may be.
Rules of delegation:
- Delegation is permitted, not mandatory.
- It is made by written decision.
- It is to whomever the Minister sees fit among the entity's personnel, that is, those who work in it.
- It covers some of his powers under the Law, not all of them.
The exception: the power of imposing the penalty of dismissal may not be delegated; it remains with the Minister himself.
This means that other powers of the Minister under the Law can be exercised by the person he delegates, while the dismissal decision remains confined to him. The article does not specify which powers may be delegated.
This article comes after Article 21, which provides for erasure of disciplinary penalties two years after they are issued unless another penalty is issued, and before Article 23, which governs the preparation of the Implementing Regulations of the Law.
If a dismissal decision against an employee was issued by a delegate rather than the Minister, it is advisable to consult a lawyer specializing in administrative cases.
Practical example
A minister issued a written decision delegating the ministry's undersecretary with some of his powers under the Employee Discipline Law. The undersecretary may exercise the powers delegated to him, but may not impose the penalty of dismissal on any employee, because Article 22 excludes this power from delegation.
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 22 of the Saudi Employee Discipline Law
Can the Minister delegate the power to dismiss an employee?
No. The article allows delegation of some of the Minister's powers except for imposing the penalty of dismissal.
How does the Minister delegate his disciplinary powers?
By written decision, to whomever the Minister sees fit among the entity's personnel, covering some of his powers under the Law.
More articles on Administrative Investigation of an Employee
- Article 4
The article requires the employee to be investigated, confronted and heard in writing before any penalty, with a reasoned decision, and bars filling the dismissed employee's job before the decision becomes unchallengeable or the judgment final.
1- لا يجوز إيقاع أي جزاء على الموظف إلَّا بعد التحقيق معه، ومواجهته بالمخالفة المنسوبة إليه، وسماع أقواله، وتحقيق دفاعه، وإثبات ذلك كتابة في محضر. ويكون القرار
- Article 9
The article provides for forming, by decision of the Minister, one or more committees in each government body to consider and investigate employee violations, chaired by a legal specialist.
تشكل لجنة -أو أكثر بحسب الحال- بقرار من الوزير في كل جهة حكومية، تتولى النظر في المخالفات التي يرتكبها الموظفون والتحقيق فيها، وتحدد اللائحة عدد أعضاء كل من الل
- Article 10
The article regulates referring the employee to the committee and the Minister's approval of its recommendations, considering dismissal in a special committee, proportionality and non-duplication of penalties, and the Minister's right to refer to the Authority.
مع مراعاة ما نصت عليه كلٌّ من المادتين (الحادية عشرة) و(الثانية عشرة) من النظام: 1- إذا ظهر للجهة ارتكاب موظف لمخالفة، فيحال إلى اللجنة للتحقيق معه للنظر في إيق
- Article 14
The article allows the body employing an employee finally sentenced to a criminal penalty that does not require dismissal by operation of law to refer him to the committee if it considers his act breaches his job duties.
إذا صدر على الموظف حكم قضائي نهائي في دعوى جزائية بعقوبة غير موجبة للفصل بقوة النظام؛ فلجهة عمله إذا رأت أن ارتكابه للفعل يمثل إخلالًا بواجبات وظيفته، أن تحيل ا
- Article 15
The article allows the Authority, in the cases it considers, to close the investigation or propose a penalty specifying the acts attributed, and to refer the file to the employee's body to issue the penalty decision as it sees fit.
للهيئة -في الحالات التي تنظرها- أن تحفظ التحقيق، أو أن تقترح الجزاء المناسب على الموظف، مع بيان الأفعال المنسوبة إليه على وجه التحديد، وتحيل المعاملة إلى جهته ا
- Article 16
The article requires the government body to give the Ministry of Human Resources, the Authority, the General Court of Audit and the employee a copy of the penalty decision, with the Regulations setting the procedures.
تزود الجهة الحكومية المختصة وزارة الموارد البشرية والتنمية الاجتماعية، والهيئة، والديوان العام للمحاسبة، والموظف صاحب الشأن؛ بصورة من القرار الصادر عنها بإيقاع
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.