Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH – Government employees may soon be allowed to work part-time in the private sector and also get engaged in personal business activities.

In anticipation of a bylaw set to be issued by the Cabinet allowing certain categories of employees to work in the private sector, the administration and human resources committee in ths Shoura (Consultative) Council has approved amending Article 13 of the Civil Service Regulation.

The proposal is expected to be tabled for discussion next Monday in the Shoura Council.

In its report on the proposed amendment, referred to the Shoura Council by the Experts Commission in the Council of Ministers, the committee urged the Council to approve amendment of Article 13 so as to allow certain categories of workers to engage in trade, to accept them as members of the boards of directors of companies or any work in them or in a shop.

According to the bylaw to be issued by the Council of Ministers a government employee will be allowed to work in the private sector outside working hours of government offices, according to Al-Riyadh newspaper.

The Shoura Council’s administration committee dossier on studying amendment of this article includes matters that ought to be taken into consideration when the ministry of civil service is in the process of preparing the bylaw to organize this notion, which will have to be approved by the Council of Ministers.

Among the most important issues are highlighting the socioeconomic and financial impacts after implementing this in the public and private sectors and the work environment and how to measure these parameters. The best international practices and experiences in this regard should be taken into consideration.