Abu Dhabi issues a remote work controls guide

The Human Resources Authority in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi has issued a "remote work" procedures and controls guide in government agencies in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi during the emergency conditions in the country.

This guide includes a set of guiding controls and standards to apply remote work system. The guide indicated that the return of employee from a leave abroad before the date of the 19^th of this month, gives him the right to calculate the period of home quarantine as a paid leave, provided that employees who traveled for force majeure reasons such as the death of a parent or for an official emergency mission shall be excluded from that date.

The guide granted the government agencies the right to determine remote working hours and days based on the interest of the work, and the right to compulsorily apply remote work to any employee who falls within the six categories of employees covered by the decision within the time frames specified by the competent authorities in the country, provided that the provisions of human resources law shall apply on the employee who works remotely.

In accordance with this guide, the employee who works remotely is not entitled to any compensation for remote work or overtime if he works for hours longer than those specified, and it confirms that the employee must comply any other requirements or controls determined by the employer.

The remote work system contains 6 categories namely: senior employees of the age group above 60 years, female employees who take care of children from the grade 9 or less, and employees who suffer from chronic diseases (heart diseases, diabetes, chronic respiratory diseases, diseases that cause immunodeficiency) provided that this must be proven in a medical report, and pregnant employees (provided that this is proven in a medical report), people of determination, and employees who occupy jobs whose nature of work does not require their presence in the workplace. In relation to issuing the guide, the Abu Dhabi Human Resources Authority said in its opening statement: "Given the business interest requirements, and to ensure business continuity and maintain the continuity of services provided in order to enhance efforts to prevent the emerging corona virus, and keenness of the Abu Dhabi government of the safety of its employees, the application of remote work has been partially approved (a number of hours per day) or permanent (and it will be for days) for some cases of government employees in order to maintain their safety and limit the spread of epidemics and diseases in the country.”

The guide requested the government entity to apply 8 guiding controls and standards when implementing remote work, which are to ensure the maintenance of efficiency and productivity, coordination with the Abu Dhabi Digital Authority to provide the necessary infrastructure services and applications necessary to implement remote work in a manner that ensures the security and confidentiality of information, and approving remote work requirements in line with the nature of the work, job cadres, categories and health cases concerned with the application and ascertain the importance of not violating the duties and responsibilities entrusted to the government entity.