An international consulting company has been asked to conduct a comprehensive study of the salary scale for Saudi nationals in the government sector. The study aims to prepare a booklet for conditions and specifications which determine a ‘flexible’ salary structure in light of the surging inflation and rising cost of living.

According to sources, the consulting company is in the final stages of the research and the project will soon be tendered for public competition.

The Shoura Council approved during last week’s session a recommendation that the Ministry of Civil Service coordinate with relevant bodies to study the restructuring of the salary scale from the fixed to a flexible system keeping in view the high cost of living and rising prices.

Sources said that the process to restructure salaries has been coordinated with amending the working hours of government employees to seven hours a day.

Abdullah Al-Ghaiman, member of the Shoura Council, said that the project will result in linking salaries of government employees to inflation. He added that a majority of Shoura members had voted in favor of the proposal and a decision was awaited, pending approval of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosque King Abdullah.

Al-Ghaiman stressed that the project aims to maintain stability in the purchasing power of government employees. He also urged the government to impose strict control on the local market to curb the rising prices of commodities.

“The project entails the restructuring of the salaries of government employees and is currently under study by the Ministry of Civil Service,” he said.