“Flexible working hours” for federal government employees during weather disturbances

The Executive Director of the Human Resources Policies Sector at the Federal Authority for Government Human Resources, Aisha Al-Suwaidi, stated that “Federal government employees can benefit from the flexible working system within one hour after seven-thirty in the morning, in times of weather disturbances, rain, or other exceptional circumstances, in a way that allows the employee He should start his work at around eight-thirty, and make up for the period of being late to work during the same day.

Al Suwaidi told “Emirates Today” that “the total number of working hours scheduled daily should not be less than seven hours, and the prevailing custom allows flexibility in times of weather disturbances until eight-thirty in the morning, and the employee finishes his work at around three-thirty in the evening on this day.” The Minister or the Chairman of the Authority may adopt a regulation regulating flexible working hours according to the work need, the important thing being that it is not less than the approved hours per week.”

I explained that the number of working hours is 35 hours per week, and seven hours per day, while we aim to implement administrative policies that take into account the provision of opportunity for employees who are exposed to fluctuating weather conditions, or social obligations, that require dealing in flexible ways, which is what is stipulated in Article 100 of the law, which stipulates It aimed to improve the corporate culture to facilitate employees’ lives and positive interaction with the workplace.

Al-Suwaidi explained the text of Article 100/3 of Cabinet Resolution No. 13 of 2012, regarding the executive regulations of Federal Decree Law No. (11) of 2008, regarding human resources in the federal government and its amendments, stating that “the minister in every ministry or federal entity may To adopt a regulation organizing flexible working hours according to the work need, and within the limits of the number of approved hours per week,” pointing out that “this is another flexibility in dealing with such cases through The approved legislation for human resources in the federal government took into account all aspects that support the employee, government work, and the work environment.”

Al-Suwaidi said, “Flexibility in working hours by employees, or even leaving work during official working hours, for emergency or personal reasons related to the employee himself, is available to the employee as a form of duly requested permission, as the electronic and smart mechanisms for human resources procedures are available to government employees.” The federal government enables them to submit a request for permission, delay, or leave work, by notifying the direct supervisor by any means available.

She considered that “accepting the excuse of an employee who is late for acceptable and justified reasons, such as fog, is available to the employee by his direct work manager, in accordance with previous mechanisms, and this procedure came absolutely for any situation, whether fog, rain, or any other circumstance that prevents him from joining work.” Or delay it, and the legislator also granted ministries and federal agencies sufficient flexibility in organizing flexible working hours for employees working for them.”

Yesterday, the Authority called on the ministries and federal agencies – according to a previous guidance circular – to commit to implementing occupational health and safety standards in the federal government, based on the federal government’s strategy aimed at paying attention to and developing the human element, and the Authority’s keenness to provide a safe work environment for employees of the ministries and federal agencies and their clients at Both.

The Authority confirmed in its Circular No. 15 of 2016 that it is making every effort to ensure and secure the safety of employees during their daily journey to and from their workplaces, especially during rainy weather conditions or days when dense fog forms, or similar emergency weather conditions, calling on the ministries and federal agencies To establish internal mechanisms and procedures to ensure the preservation of employees’ health and safety, especially in unusual weather conditions while they go to their workplaces, with the possibility of taking into account assessing the reasons for their tardiness. Official working hours in these circumstances.

In its circular, the Authority stressed the importance of these agencies educating their employees about the principles of road traffic safety, urging them to take caution and caution while driving their vehicles on the trip to and from the workplace in general, and urging them not to expose their lives to danger, pointing out that ministries and federal agencies can Benefiting from the flexibility provided by human resources legislation in the federal government regarding the implementation of the flexible working system, which enables employees to determine their working hours and their end in a way that achieves a balance between their circumstances and the interest of the work. Without conflict.

Late last year, the Authority launched the guideline for occupational health and safety in the federal government, which it prepared in cooperation with a number of ministries and federal agencies, after reviewing the best international practices in this regard, to form a guiding framework for the office work environment in the ministries and federal agencies, which… This would enable these entities to take the necessary measures and preventive measures to create a healthy and safe work environment for both their employees and customers alike, in accordance with the highest levels of occupational health and safety in the work environment.

The launch of the guide was based on the authority’s keenness to adhere to the directives of the state government regarding the necessity of integrating policies, legislation and systems for developing and empowering human capital in the federal government, as the guide supports and enhances the levels of occupational health and safety in various work sites, in ministries and federal agencies.