Article 7 of the Saudi Employee Discipline Law

This article addresses a common situation: an employee receives an order from his superior that he considers contrary to the rules. It provides that the employee is relieved of the penalty if two things are proved together:

1. That his committing the violation was in executing an order issued by his superior.
2. That the employee alerted his superior to the violation before carrying it out, either in writing or by any means recognized by law.

The relief is conditional on the alert, and the mere issuing of the order by the superior is not enough. The phrase "if it is proved" also means these circumstances must be established, so it helps the employee to keep proof of his alert to his superior. The article does not specify what means recognized by law there are other than writing, and does not address the liability of the superior who issued the order.

This is linked to Article 6, which sets the penalties that may be imposed on the employee; relief here means that none of them is imposed on him for that violation once the two conditions are met. It is followed by Article 8, which explains that the end of an employee's service does not prevent disciplinary proceedings being taken or continued, except in the cases of death or total health incapacity.

Anyone facing accountability for a violation committed on his superior's order is advised to consult a lawyer specializing in administrative cases.