UAE announces work-from-home for some female employees

The Federal Authority for Government Human Resources (FAHR) issued a circular addressed to all ministries and federal entities regarding regulating the work pattern of female employees in the federal government who have children studying in the distance learning system.

In its circular, FAHR indicated that female employees at the federal government who have children from grade six and less and are subject to distance learning system, or a person of determination who suffers from chronic diseases and needs a companion, would be allowed to work remotely. This came in conjunction with switching the education system to distance learning during the first two weeks of the second semester that has been scheduled to begin on Monday - January 3, 2022.

The circular stated that the issuance of approval for the mother employee to work remotely is subject to a set of controls. The job occupied by the employee should fulfil all the conditions, controls and standards contained in the remote work system approved by Cabinet Resolution No. (27) for the year 2020 and any subsequent amendment to it. The permit to work remotely relies on a study schedule issued by the school in which the child is enrolled.

This is only applied during the distance-learning period decided by the competent authorities in the country. An employee, who has a child of the People of Determination category, must forward a medical report to her employer, proving that her child needs a companion. She must not be from the medical or educational staff.

A male employees at the federal department is also allowed to work remotely if his wife (mother employee) is a medical or educational staff member. All the federal entities operating the human resources information management system in the federal government “Bayanati” must follow the new work mechanism.