Picture used for illustrative purpose only.

Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

The Department of Human Resources in Ajman issued a circular to all government bodies updating the precautionary measures against the COVID-19 pandemic in Ajman, which will be put into effect as of the issuance date.

The circular comes in line with the directions of the UAE government in addressing the pandemic and limiting its repercussions.

It stresses the necessity for all government bodies to adhere to the updating procedures for dealing with contact cases.

The circular indicated attending at workplace with suspicion of infection with COVID-19, or if there is a symptom, the first time entails a three-day deduction from the basic salary, while a five-day deduction will be applied in case of repetition.

On committing the violation for the third time, 10-day-deduction from the basic salary will be applied.

The direct manager or official is also committed to ensuring employees or clients are committed to the precautionary measures inside the workplace, according to the circular.

In case the manager violates this, a written warning will be sent to him the first time, then a one-day deduction from the basic salary will be applied in the second time, while a third violation entails a three-day deduction from the basic salary.

The employee who fails to report his workplace of contacting an infected case, or in case of not adhering to Green Pass in Al Hosn App, will have a one-day-deduction from the basic salary and three days in the second and then 5 day deduction.

The circular also indicated that the quarantine period for the employee in a close contact is seven days or any other period the competent authorities of the UAE will decide later.

According to the circular, if the job can be performed remotely, the government body will apply the remote work system to the employee in contact for the first time.

In case of a repeated contact, the quarantine period will be regarded as an annual leave or an unpaid leave, if the employee does not have enough balance.

Persons contacting infected cases in the workplace or cases of relatives of the first degree, are excluded, provided that the contact is proved through submitting a report or a medical statement from the competent authorities showing the time and duration of the prescribed quarantine.

The Department pointed out in the circular that the government bodies can use the indicative table of violations and penalties regarding employees not adhering to precautionary measures.

The circular specified eight violations, including non-compliance with wearing the face mask in workplaces, shaking hands with others at workplaces, gathering of employees at the workplace without considering the social distancing according to the instructions issued by the competent authorities.

The previous violations entail three penalties, the first time, the employee is warned in written. In case of repetition, one day is to be cut from the basic salary, while in the third violation, three day-cut from the basic salary will be applied.