Dubai, Abu Dhabi govt staff can work from home if children enrolled in e-learning

Dubai and Abu Dhabi government employees will be permitted to work from home if their children are enrolled in distance learning during the upcoming school year.

New directives issued by Dubai Crown Prince and chairman of the Executive Council Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum allow a work from home policy in Dubai government entities for female employees with children undertaking distance learning, Dubai Media Office reported.

The policy is effective from next week, for the new school year.‬

Female employees will be allowed to work from home “provided their job can be done remotely and does not impact the operations of the government entity they are employed in”, the report said.

Mothers of children in Grade 9 and below, including kindergarten, are eligible to work from home.

The policy will be based on an approved school schedule and will be applicable only on the days the children are attending classes remotely.

Sheikh Hamdan also issued directives to take into consideration fathers working in the Dubai government who do not have caregivers to oversee their children’s distance learning.

They will also be allowed to work from home, enabling them to supervise their children during the school day.

Meanwhile the Abu Dhabi government also announced that it will offer the option to work remotely for employees in its departments and companies who have children enrolled in distance learning for the first school semester.

Employees must provide a letter from the school confirming that their children are enrolled in distance learning, Abu Dhabi Media Office said on Twitter.

All previous remote working guidelines remain in place, it added.

Abu Dhabi government will offer the option to work remotely for employees in its departments and companies who have children enrolled in distance learning for the 1st school semester, to enable parents to support their children’s educational journey during the COVID-19 pandemic. pic.twitter.com/cpOIp5nizu

— مكتب أبوظبي الإعلامي (@admediaoffice) August 27, 2020

Also read: UAE schools to close if Covid-19 cases spike – education ministry