Abu Dhabi: As federal and local departments do, the private sector companies must also allow their employees to have flexible work hours during foggy and rainy days, a member said on Tuesday.
Hamad Al Rahoumi, a member from Dubai, said road fatalities in thick fog can be averted by a law regulating flexible work hours in the private sector across the country.
“Like the federal and local departments, flexible work hours during bad weather must not be left to managers — it must rather be a mandatory law allowing employees to be late for work by two or three hours in the early morning … so, instead of going to work at seven in the morning, employees should be allowed to go at 10am on foggy days,” Al Rahoumi said.
Al Rahoumi said driving in heavy fog has been a major cause of serious road mishaps, adding that adopting flexible work hours for employees of private businesses in such conditions could prevent such accidents and save precious lives.
Nasser Bin Thani Al Hameli, Minister of Human Resources and Emiratisation, said the labour law stipulates work hours, but does not impose when the work shall start or end. “Employers have a free hand to fix their timings,” the minister said.
Al Hameli, however, suggested that his ministry can issue a circular encouraging private businesses to allow flexible work hours during foggy days.
In 2016, the Federal Human Resources Authority asked federal departments to allow their employees to have flexible work hours during foggy and rainy days.
The flexible work arrangements are part of the health and safety guide issued in 2015 for the federal departments to promote a healthier and safer working environment and enhance the health and safety of employees.
