MoHRE launches awareness campaign on policies and initiatives to support stability of labor market

The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE) has launched a campaign under the slogan ‘Together to Overcome Challenge’ to familiarize private sector employers and employees with a package of decisions and initiatives implemented by the MoHRE in co-operation with its partners. The campaign is part of the national program to support the stability of the labor market in the private sector in light of the precautionary measures to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus (Covid-19).

Through the campaign, the MoHRE will shed light on a number of its initiatives and measures aimed at enhancing the stability of the working relationship between its two parties and help them understand their rights and responsibilities.

The campaign is scheduled to be implemented through all mass media, social networking channels, SMS and awareness videos as displayed through a large number of ATMs. In addition, printed brochures and posters in more than seven languages that are most used in the labor market will be distributed in co-operation with some labor housing and workers’ cities.

The campaign is launched concurrently with the field inspection campaigns implemented by the MoHRE’s inspection teams to make sure of private sector establishments’ abidance by the law, ministerial decisions and precautionary measures aimed at protecting workers from Covid-19. It coincides with the joint campaigns launched in co-operation with the concerned entities to conduct medical tests for workers in workplaces and labor housing.

The campaign is aimed at raising awareness of the listed measures that private sector establishments affected by the Covid-19 consequences can take pending an agreement with their non-Emirati employees. These measures include granting non-Emirati employees a paid leave followed by an unpaid leave and then reducing their pay temporarily during the period of the precautionary measures, provided that an addendum to the employment contract as per an ad-hoc form prepared by the MoHRE is signed. The addendum, however, will expire as soon as it is over or at the end of the precautionary measures, whichever is sooner. As a final step, these measures also include reducing the employee’s pay permanently, provided that the employee will apply for the service of amending the data of his employment contract to obtain the MoHRE’s approval.

In addition, the campaign throws light on the ‘early leave’ initiative launched by the MoHRE in co-operation and co-ordination with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation, the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship, the General Civil Aviation Authority and the National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority. The initiative is aimed at enabling expatriates working in the private sector to return to their countries during the period in which the precautionary measures are taken across the UAE to contribute to prevention efforts and curb the spread of the Covid-19 by applying for their annual leave earlier or agreeing with their employers to be granted unpaid leave.

The campaign is also aimed at highlighting the initiative of ‘virtual labor market’, which is an innovative electronic platform that enables establishments to register the data of their redundant non-Emirati employees so that they can be recruited by other establishments to meet their labor shortages. The platform also enables non-Emirati employees to register at careers.mohre.gov.ae to seek job opportunities.

Besides, the campaign is aimed at familiarizing contracting companies with the initiative under which they are allowed to set up labor housing in their construction sites. Based on the MoHRE’s co-ordination with municipalities and the concerned local entities, the initiative is aimed at keeping a proper space between employees in labor housing and workers’ cities and hence reducing the risk involved in mixing employees. The initiative is also aimed at ensuring continued performance of construction and infrastructure work in light of the rule banning the transfer of labor from one emirate to another as part of the precautionary measures taken to ensure their safety.

The campaign is scheduled to stress the necessity for employers to settle the pay of their employees on time through the ‘wages protection system’ as agreed in the employment contracts or addendums concluded between the two parties. The campaign is also scheduled to familiarize private sector employees with the ‘salary complain’ service, which enables them to report their establishments’ delay in paying their salaries on time and as specified.

The campaign throws light on the ‘hotline’ service, which provides informational and procedural services to private sector employees through the toll-free number 80060 using the latest technology. Through the service, the necessary consulting support is provided directly in several languages, using administrative and innovative ways on a 24/7 basis.

The campaign also sheds light on the ‘midday work ban’ decision, which the MoHRE has been applying for the 16th year in a row and under which work is prohibited under direct sunlight and open spaces between 12.30pm and 3pm between June 15 and September 15 every year.