Abu Dhabi: Businesses in the private sector affected by the COVID-19 may gradually grant their employees paid leave, unpaid leave, temporarily or permanently cut their salaries or lay them off, according to a decision by the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation. The decision, however, excludes Emirati employees.

Under the decision signed by Nasser Thani Al Hamli, Minister of Human Resources and Emiratisation, businesses affected by the precautionary measures to prevent the spread of coronavirus and seeking to restructure their business shall gradually adopt the following actions, in agreement with “non-national” employees:

1. Setting up the remote work system

2. Granting employees paid leave

3. Granting them unpaid leave

4. Temporarily reducing salary during the aforementioned period

5. Permanently cut salary

The decision, to be enforced with immediate effect, states that businesses with redundant employees must register them on the virtual job market, so that they can be recruited by other businesses. These businesses will remain obliged to provide these employees with accommodation and other dues, except for salary, up until their departure from the country or being permitted to join other businesses.

Under Article 4 of the decision, businesses seeking to employ non-Emirati workers during the period of stopping the overseas employment shall do the following:

1- To post their vacancies on the virtual job market, search the available employees data, and to select what is suitable to their requirements.

2- To employ those employees according to their needs through applying for internal work permit, which the ministry provides, on the electronic and smart systems (transfer work permit of employee to new employer, temporary work permit, part-time work permit)

Article 5 states that businesses seeking to reduce the salary of a non-Emirati employee on temporary basis during the above-mentioned period shall sign an additional temporary annexure which will last as long its term or as long as this resolution remains valid, whichever is closer.

This annexure can be renewed by agreement of both parties. It shall be issued in two copies, each party should have one, the employer should be committed to present it to the ministry when requested.

Under Article 6, businesses seeking to permanently reduce the salary of an employee should be committed to apply for “change of a job contract’s data” in order to get the ministry’s approval.

Article 7 states that non-Emirati employees available in the country who wish to find jobs should register in the virtual job market system and apply for the jobs posted by the registered organisations and which suit their qualifications and experiences.

Article 8 states that the provisions of this resolution shall be applicable only to non-Emirati employees, during the period of applying the above-mentioned precautionary procedures.

SOURCE : GULFNEWS