ABU DHABI — Most of the employees of government as well as private sector in the United Arab Emirates will work remotely for two weeks, beginning on Sunday (March 29), the state news agency WAM reported on Thursday. "The Federal Authority for Government Human Resources announces the activation of the ‘remote work" system for all federal ministries, authorities, entities and the private sector, as of Sunday, March 29, 2020 for a period of two weeks subject to renewal," WAM quoted a statement from the country's human resources authority. The report added that a maximum of 30 percent of the workforce of each entity concerned is allowed to be physically present in office while others whose jobs don't necessitate their physical presence should work remotely. The decision, however, exempts a number of vital sectors, including energy, telecommunications, health, education, security, police, military, postal services, cargo, pharmaceuticals, water, food, civil aviation, airports, identity & citizenship, finance & banking, government media, and services, which include filling service stations, and construction projects in addition to any other sectors to be exempted by the government of the UAE for public interest. The federal authority also called upon all sectors to utilize smart technology while working remotely and to provide all possible electronic channels and platforms for public services to ensure efficiency.
