Employees of private sector institutions and establishments assured that they received e-mails from their employers, inviting them to return to work hours from their workplaces, after more than a month and a half months of exercising their job "remotely", in compliance with the precautionary measures to prevent the emerging corona virus (Covid) -19), expressing fear that their return to their facilities and businesses would expose them to any infection.
In contrast, the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation stated that the teleworking system is implemented in coordination between the employer and its employees, and that the employee must go to his workplace, whenever his administration requests him to do so, stressing that it will not tolerate the application of precautionary measures to the highest standards within the facilities, especially what It is related to the percentages of reducing employment and customers to 30% of the capacity.
In detail, the social networking platform «Twitter» witnessed a wide discussion, between a large number of employees and employees of institutions, companies and banks belonging to the private sector, regarding the receipt of many of them including emails and communications from their employers, to summon them to work permanently from their offices, after a period that exceeded one and a half months of work Remotely, in compliance with the country's precautionary measures to combat the Corona virus.
The employees expressed fears that their permanence from the offices could expose them and their families to the transmission of Corona infection, especially those whose businesses need direct contact with others, asking a question to the official account of the Ministry, on Twitter, about the validity and legality of calling them to work from work headquarters.
Other people in their same business sectors confirmed that they had not received any similar communications from their employers, expressing their hope for a speedy return to start their job duties from workplaces, as this gives them a feeling of returning to normal life.
During the discussion, they agreed on the necessity of the commitment of those returning from work, from their workplace, to the precautionary measures, whether taken by the employers, or by everyone applying to protect themselves from being exposed to a Corona infection.
On the other hand, the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation account interfered in the ongoing debate, emphasizing that the methodology of applying the remote work system depends primarily on coordination with the labor administration, stressing the necessity of the employee or employee's commitment to respond to the department’s communications, and to attend the workplace whenever requested to do so. .
She stressed that she will not allow any complacency from the workplace regarding the application of precautionary and preventive measures, according to the declared standards and requirements, which include reducing the attendance of the number of workers in private sector establishments to the minimum necessary for the conduct of work, so that the percentage of workers whose work requires going to The workplace, on 30% of the total workforce of the facility, in parallel with the implementation of the remote work system for workers whose job duties do not require going to the workplace.
The ministry demanded that the facilities take into account reducing the percentage of customers in service delivery centers by no more than 30% of the capacity, and applying health controls, including specifying sufficient distances between dealers, and sterilizing devices and facilities on an ongoing basis.
The Ministry excluded from "a 30% reduction in the attendance rate of workers in the facility and the percentage of customers in service delivery centers", a number of activities that include infrastructure projects, catering, communications, energy, health, education, the banking sector, food and hospitality industries, health supplies manufacturing, and cleaning companies.
She continued: «Based on the concern to meet the basic needs and services of the Emirates community, in light of the precautionary measures to limit the spread of the Corona virus, some activities related to reducing the attendance of workers to no more than 30% of the number of workers in the facility are excluded, and reducing the proportion of customers to No more than 30% of the capacity, taking into account the need to provide health and safety requirements and means for the protection of workers, and commitment to other materials in the said resolution, and infrastructure projects ».
Activities excluded from remote work
The list of activities excluded from remote work, according to the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation, included road and bridge works, water and sanitation resources, electricity and communications networks, building and construction sites, construction and contracting companies, engineering consultants, and catering companies (including associations and stores selling food commodities) In addition to food industry companies (including the manufacture and distribution of foodstuffs).
The list also included the education sector (includes schools, universities, colleges and institutes), the hospitality sector (includes hotels, restaurants and catering companies), energy companies (including oil companies and oil refineries, power plants and gas stations, and the sale and distribution of fuel), the financial sector (includes banks and exchange companies) Money transfer companies), the health sector (including hospitals and pharmacies, pharmaceutical production plants, clinics, and all medical services), sterilization and cleaning materials production companies and medical equipment, and cleaning companies.
Employees were afraid that Corona would transfer to them because of their office hours.
Staff expressed hope to return to duty stations to restore normalcy.