Work from home, age restrictions under new Covid-19 rules for businesses in UAE

The Department of Economic Development in Abu Dhabi (DED) has issued new guidelines for businesses to ensure workplace health and safety and support employees needs as establishments re-open.

According to the guidelines issued by the Abu Dhabi Media Office on Twitter, low risk individuals eligible to be in the workplace, but can effectively do their jobs remotely will continue to work from home.

The low risk individuals eligible to be in the workplace include; those aged between 18-55. These individuals must be living alone or with low risk individuals. Also they must not be affected by chronic diseases.

Those not eligible to be in workplaces include people aged 55 and above, pregnant women and individuals living with anyone with chronic diseases or who is above 60 years old.

These guidelines do not apply to the construction, manufacturing and utilities sectors.

DED said employers are also required to accommodate staff needs, for instance parents may choose to work from home while schools are closed and pressure or penalties may not be imposed on those not eligible to return to work.

Sector-specific guidelines include attendance caps at 30 percent, social distancing, and sanitisation of work and communal spaces.

Workplace guidelines for wholesale and retail businesses:

-Thermal cameras must be installed at mall entrances and other large retail spaces.

-Safe masks and gloves to be worn by staff at all times.

-All displays should be protected behind plastic shielding, physical barriers, or removed entirely.

-Signage should be put in place to help maintain 2m distancing.

-There should be no physical contact between staff and customers.

-There should be separate entry and exit points to ensure unidirectional flow.

-Mall car parks should be limited to 50 percent capacity.

-Shops should ensure contactless payments.
-Whenever possible staff should be separated from customers by a plastic shield.

-Fevers or noticeable symptoms should be reported immediately to Department of Health (DoH).

-Customers must wear face masks and gloves should be encouraged.

-Maximum store capacity should be set, and must not exceed 5m2 per customers.

-All social areas must be closed.

-Hand-washing or sanitisation should be at all entry points.

-Malls must install disinfection gateways at entry and exit points, where customers and staff will be required to sanitise.

-Mall staff should be tested and cleared before returning to work.

-Use of high-tough surfaces should be reduced or eliminated wherever possible.