Article 6 of the Saudi Employee Discipline Law
المادة 6 من نظام الانضباط الوظيفي
The article sets the disciplinary penalties for an employee: a written warning, a salary deduction within limits, forfeiting an annual increment, not considering promotion for up to two years, and dismissal.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
الجزاء الذي يجوز إيقاعه على الموظف هو:
1- الإنذار المكتوب.
2- الحسم من الراتب بما لا يتجاوز صافي راتب (ثلاثة) أشهر على ألَّا يتجاوز المحسوم شهريًّا (ثلث) صافي الراتب الشهري.
3- الحرمان من علاوة سنوية واحدة.
4- عدم النظر في ترقيته بما لا يتجاوز سنتين من تاريخ استحقاقه للترقية.
5- الفصل من الخدمة.
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 6 explained in plain English
This article sets out the list of penalties that may be imposed on an employee, which under its text, "the penalty that may be imposed on the employee is", are five:
- A written warning.
- A deduction from salary with two limits: the total deducted may not exceed the net salary of 3 months, and the amount deducted in any one month may not exceed one third of the net monthly salary.
- Forfeiting one annual increment.
- Not considering promotion for a period not exceeding two years from the date the employee became eligible for promotion.
- Dismissal from service.
For example, if the net salary is 9,000, the total deduction may not exceed 27,000, and the monthly deduction may not exceed 3,000.
This article is linked to Article 5, which provides that anyone proved to have committed a financial, administrative or conduct violation is subject to the penalty provided for in the Law, and Article 1 defines a penalty as any administrative penalty provided for in the Law. It is followed by Article 7, which relieves the employee of the penalty if he committed the violation in executing an order of his superior despite alerting him in writing or by any means recognized by law.
This article alone does not state the body that imposes each penalty or its procedures. Anyone against whom a penalty has been imposed who thinks it exceeded these limits is advised to consult a lawyer specializing in administrative cases.
Practical example
A violation was established against Abdullah, an employee of a government body in Riyadh with a net salary of SAR 12,000, and the penalty of a salary deduction was imposed on him. Under Article 6 the total deduction may not exceed SAR 36,000 (the net salary of 3 months), and no more than SAR 4,000 (one third of his net salary) may be deducted from him in any one month.
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 6 of the Saudi Employee Discipline Law
What are the disciplinary penalties for a government employee?
They are a written warning, a salary deduction, forfeiting one annual increment, not considering promotion for a period not exceeding two years, and dismissal from service.
What is the maximum salary deduction as a penalty?
The total deduction may not exceed the net salary of 3 months, and the amount deducted monthly may not exceed one third of the net monthly salary.
How long can an employee's promotion be delayed as a penalty?
Not more than two years from the date he became eligible for promotion.
More articles on Disciplinary Penalties for Employees
- Article 5
The article provides that an employee proved to have committed a financial, administrative or conduct violation that breaches his duties is subject to the legal penalty, without prejudice to public-right or private-right claims.
كل موظف ثبت ارتكابه مخالفة مالية أو إدارية أو مسلكية مما يعد إخلالًا بواجب من واجباته الوظيفية، يطبق عليه الجزاء المنصوص عليه في النظام، وذلك دون إخلال بالحق في
- Article 7
The article relieves the employee of the penalty if it is proved that he committed the violation in executing his superior's order despite alerting his superior to it in writing or by any means recognized by law.
يعفى الموظف من الجزاء إذا ثبت أن ارتكابه المخالفة كان تنفيذًا لأمر صدر من رئيسه، بالرغم من تنبيه الموظف لرئيسه بالمخالفة كتابة أو بأي من الطرق المعتبرة نظامًا.
- Article 8
The article provides that the end of an employee's service does not prevent disciplinary proceedings except in death or total health incapacity, and the penalty is a fine of up to 3 times the last net salary.
في غير حالتي الوفاة أو العجز الصحي الكلي؛ لا يمنع انتهاء خدمة الموظف من اتخاذ الإجراءات المنصوص عليها في النظام، أو الاستمرار فيها. وفي هذه الحالة يكون الجزاء غ
- 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 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
- Article 21
The article provides that disciplinary penalties imposed on an employee are erased two years after they are issued, unless another penalty is issued in that period, in which case the period runs from the last penalty, subject to other laws.
مع مراعاة ما تقضي به الأنظمة الأخرى، تمحا الجزاءات التأديبية الموقعة على الموظف بعد مضي سنتين من تاريخ صدورها، ما لم يصدر في حقه جزاء آخر خلال تلك المدة. وفي هذ
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.