UAE: COVID-19 Positive Employees to Get Sick Leave, Not Termination
Private sectors employees who are infected with coronavirus and no longer reporting to work should not be terminated and are to considered on sick leave.
The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratization has called on private sector businesses to deal with employees infected with coronavirus as normal sick cases for which they are entitled to a sick leave according to the Federal Law No. 8 of 1980.
As per the federal law, if an employee falls sick, he/she becomes entitled to sick leave, not more than 90 days either continuous or intermittent per each year or service, computed as follows:
A. The first fifteen days with full pay.
B. The next thirty days, with half pay.
c. The subsequent period, without pay
The ministry instructed private establishments not to end the service of any employee infected with the virus, adding that it will deal with any complaint in this respect in accordance with the procedures followed, where the complaint that cannot be resolved amicably will be referred to the judiciary to determine whether the termination of service is an arbitrary or not.
It also urged the private sector establishments to assume their social and legal responsibilities towards their employees who are infected with coronavirus, adding that the UAE is providing full and free healthcare to all infected citizens and residents.
