The UAE authorities have recently announced a new initiative which aims to help private sector workers who want to apply for early annual leaves or go on unpaid leaves. Doing so will allow the employees to go and return to their home countries in these difficult times. More details will follow regarding this process but this allows flexibility for workers to travel to their home countries.
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This initiative was reported n Emirates News Agency, the official UAE state news portal.
‘Early Leave’ initiative launched for private sector employees during precautionary measures period
The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation, in cooperation with the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, the General Civil Aviation Authority, and the National Emergency Crisis and Disasters Management Authority, has launched the ‘Early Leave’ initiative.
The initiative aims to enable residents who work in the private sector and wish to return to their home countries to do so during the period of precautionary measures undertaken in the UAE to contain the spread of the new coronavirus, COVID-19.
Employees will be asked to submit their annual leave dates or agree with their employers on unpaid leave.
The initiative is part of the humanitarian efforts of the UAE’s wise leadership in meeting the needs of residents seeking to return to their home countries and supporting them in these difficult times.
Below are Twitter post announcements of this initiative as shared on the official account of the UAE state news portal, WAM:
‘Early Leave’ initiative launched for private sector employees during precautionary measures period#WamNewshttps://t.co/yEtuIo8hlA pic.twitter.com/qU3gk2qCfY
— WAM English (@WAMNEWS_ENG) April 5, 2020
How to Apply: UAE “Early Leave” by MOHRE
In implementation of the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation Decision No. (279) of 2020 regarding the stability of labor in private sector establishments during the period of applying precautionary measures to contain the spread of the novel Coronavirus, this initiative comes as an extension of the humanitarian support programs made by the UAE government and in response to a large number of requests received from some foreign workers who are still on the job and want to return to their countries.
All establishments that agree with the foreign workers, who currently at work, to leave the country must comply with the following procedures:
- Determine the duration of the leave by signing an additional supplementary form for the employment contract during the period of applying precautionary measures due to the novel Coronavirus, which is available on the Ministry’s app and website.
- Book a flight ticket (return) for the worker and hand it over to him.
- The contractual relationship between the employer and the worker continues, and the early leave is considered unpaid leave with the worker retaining the remaining entitlements prescribed for him according to the Labor Relations Law.
- The worker’s early leave ends upon his return and starting work after the precautionary procedures period.
- The residence visas of workers returning home will be extended automatically in case of expiration while outside the country.
Workers benefiting from the initiative can contact the National Call Center via e-mail ask_us@171.ae from outside the country.
Below is the Tweet from MOHRE regarding the process:
In response to foreign workers requests who are working in the Private Sector and are willing to return to their home countries, #MOHRE launched a new initiative ‘Early Leave’ -as an extension of the support programs of the UAE Government. Procedures are stated in the initiative. pic.twitter.com/LYYZCKIiCO
— MOHRE_UAE وزارة الموارد البشرية والتوطين (@MOHRE_UAE) April 5, 2020
