Daijiworld Media Network - Abu Dhabi (SS)
Abu Dhabi, May 9: The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation as per Federal Law No 8 of 1980, called on private sector establishments to consider workers tested positive for COVID-19 as sick cases entitled to sick leave, instead of terminating them.
According to this law, an employee who has completed over three months of service after the completion of a probation period is entitled to sick leave for a period of not more than 90 days, continuous or otherwise, for every year of service, wherein he or she has to be paid a full salary for the first 15 days, half salary for the next 30 days and go without salary for the remaining 45 days.
The ministry informed that they shall handle complaints regarding the termination of service due to COVID-19 in accordance with the procedures in place. If the complaint is not resolved in a friendly manner, it will be referred to court for litigation to determine whether it constituted lawful termination or arbitrary dismissal.
Along the same lines, Article 27 of Federal Law No 14 of 2014 on combating communicable diseases says that 'it is prohibited to place any restrictions or provision on patients carrying communicable diseases that would deny them their rights enshrined in the legislation in place in the country out of consideration of their health status and without prejudice to the measures governing the control and prevention of communicable diseases'.
The ministry urged the private sectors to fulfill social and legal responsibilities towards employees affected with COVID-19, especially since the UAE has been providing comprehensive and free healthcare services to citizens and residents alike.
They also called upon the private sector to document employee leaves, note amendments to business contracts and ensure the payment of salaries via the Wages Protection System (WPS). This is essential for the protection of rights of all parties.
Earlier, they had stressed on the necessity of establishments granting early leave as a part of COVID-19 countermeasures to document leaves as a temporary amendment to business contracts available on the ministry’s apps on Apple Store, Google Play and their website www.mohre.gov.ae.