Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development: Suspending employees' coming to main offices of private sector establishments for a period of "15" days

Out of the determined efforts exerted by the government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in facing the repercussions of the Novel Coronavirus and preventing its spread, it has been decided to suspend attendance at work headquarters in all entities in the private sector for a period of (15) days, and to activate remote working procedures except for vital sectors and sensitive infrastructure sectors such as (electricity, water and communications). Accordingly, the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development would like all establishments in the private sector to adhere to the following:
First: Suspending employees' coming to the main offices of the private sector for a period of "15" days.
Second: The private sector establishments reduce the number of workers in its branches, offices and other facilities to the minimum necessary for the conduct of work and the availability of supply chains, so that the number of workers required to be present in the workplace does not exceed "40%" Of the total employees at the facility's headquarters, taking into account the following:
1- Adherence to the necessary precautionary measures set by the Ministry of Health regarding those workers attending at workplaces or workers' housing, including the provision by private sector establishments whose number of workers at its headquarters or the housing of its workers exceeds (50) people a sorting point at the entrance where the temperature is measured, symptoms are checked, and the epidemiological link is provided, and whoever comes under one of the cases referred to is exempt from coming to the workplace.
2- Ensuring that sufficient spaces are available between workers in the workplace and the workers' housing, according to the preventive guide for Coronavirus inside the workplaces issued by the Ministry of Health.
3- Obliging the private sector establishments to close health clubs and nurseries located in its headquarters.
4- Obligation to apply the disclosure mechanism from all workers who exhibit symptoms of high temperature, coughing or shortness of breath, or mixing with an infected or suspected case. The private sector establishments shall provide a mechanism to ensure that the workers in them inform the competent administration of the establishment of those who show these symptoms or apply to one of them or who came from outside the Kingdom without following the precautionary procedures for the quarantine specified by the Ministry of Health, provided that privacy and confidentiality are taken into account in that, with the commitment of the private sector establishments to inform the Ministry of Health of the cases they appear to them.
Third: Excluded from the application of what was mentioned in item (first) and what is related to the commitment regarding those whose presence is required in the workplace specified in item (second) above are all activities related to the provision of food and medicine and the supply chain and logistical services related to them until they are provided to the final consumer taking into consideration the supreme orders issued in this regard.
Fourth: Applying the mechanisms of remote work, using electronic means and applications in practicing activities, providing goods and providing services as possible, and taking into account the remote work guide issued by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development.
Fifth: Grant a compulsory leave of 14 days and not counted from the leave balance for all employees who fall into the following cases: pregnant and lactating women, respiratory diseases, immunodeficiency diseases and users of immunosuppressive drugs, tumors, chronic diseases, and workers over fifty-five years old .
Sixth: For private sector establishments that provide utility services to government agencies, they must coordinate with those bodies before suspending attendance at workplaces.
Seventh: For private sector establishments that are unable to comply with the proportion of their attendance at the workplace specified in Clause (Second) above, they must submit their requests to the authority that supervises them.
The Ministry has made it clear that private sector establishments can submit inquiries about the mechanism of remote work through the means of communication of the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development, and what are related to the precautionary health measures necessary for its employees through the means of communication of the Ministry of Health