Saudi shifts to Gregorian calendar to save money

Saudi Arabia’s economic downturn has forced the kingdom to take a number of drastic steps to reduce its deficit. In another example of the country’s financial woes, it announced that employees working in the public sector will be paid according to the Gregorian calendar, which came into effect earlier this month.

The decision to switch from the lunar-based Hijri calendar to the Gregorian one will bring the public sector salary disbursement in line with that of the private sector, potentially saving the treasury millions.

The announcement will mean that government employees will lose eleven days’ salary under the revised mechanism. The Hijri calendar is made up of 12 months of 29 or 30 days depending on the sighting of the moon, and the year is usually 354 days, 11 days shorter than the Gregorian calendar.

The decision is part of a wide ranging austerity measure announced last month which included 20 per cent salary cut for ministers and a moratorium on increment to government staff for the new Hijri year.