Abu Dhabi: Federal government employees who opt to work 10 hours a day are entitled to a three-day weekend, according to Cabinet resolution No. 48 of 2023.
The resolution, which sets the executive regulations of Federal Decree-Law No. 49 of 2022 on human resources in the federal government, has set out multiple work patterns in the federal government, which will come into effect on July 1.
The new Human Resources law aims to develop flexible work models that contribute to building a future model for the management of human resources and improve government competencies.
The law, which focuses on developing a stimulating and enabling work environment for government employees, aims to cope with the recent changes taking place in the work environment over the past years, thereby, enhancing the legislative flexibility of the government HR system through the continuous updating of regulations and policies.
According to article 2 of the executive regulations of the law, the employee who works 10 hours a day and four working days per week, is entitled to three-day weekend as he works for intensive working hours under the work model called the compressed work week.
The regulations specify part-time working hours of not less than 8 hours and not more than 32 hours per week, as well as working days during weekly working days of no less than one and no more than four days per week.
According to article 9 of the HR law’s executive regulations, federal government employees are appointed through five work models:
Five work models
1. Work from the office
Under this work model throughout official working days and hours, the employee is appointed to perform his job as defined by the employer, either from office or one of the employer’s branches.
2. Work remotely from within the UAE
The employee will have to work or perform his job duties from outside the office, but within the country, according to the provisions of the Remote Work Law issued by the Cabinet upon the Federal Authority for Government Human Resources’ proposal and will be paid according to the law.
3. Remote work from outside the country
The employee is required to work or fulfil his job tasks from outside the country and will be paid according to the law.
4. Intensive working hours (compressed work week)
The employee works the entire official weekly working hours required from him on fewer working days per week, up to a maximum of 10 hours per day for 4 working days per week.
5. Hybrid work
Under hybrid work model, the employee integrates work from office with remote work. The employee is recruited to perform part of his job tasks from office and the other part through the remote work, with the permissibility of mixing more than one of the other types of work.
Four types of employment
According to the new HR law, there are four types of employment, including full-time job, part-time job, temporary work and flexible work.
The employee’s work model may be converted from a part-time to a full-time job and vice versa at the employee’s request and as determined by the employer, provided that the transfer is for the same job and grade and that the payment for the grade is available.
An employee appointed on a part-time basis may work in more than one federal entity or work in a federal and other local or private entity.
