Insight and opinion from The National’s editorial leadership
January 17, 2022
Historians still speak in solemn tones of the 6th-century Plague of Justinian, which killed 25 million people, and the Black Death 800 years later, which killed nearly 200 million. Having thus far claimed more than 5 million lives worldwide, Covid-19 is sure to be recorded as one of the deadliest pandemics in history.
For economic historians, however, it is the death of jobs that provokes great concern. The casualties claimed by Covid-19 in this respect have also been dire. In 2020, the pandemic cost the world nearly 150 million jobs, according to the UN. Altogether, humanity lost nearly 9 per cent of its working hours, as the newly unemployed were joined by many who managed to keep their jobs but were forced to go part-time.
In the wreckage of this economic havoc, it is little wonder that the focus of so many governments right now is on job creation. Public surveys in North America, Europe, the Middle East and China have found a stronger-than-ever thirst for new jobs, not only to compensate for what has been lost, but also to ensure a more resilient economic future.
While job-creation efforts will, indeed, need to be put into overdrive as the pandemic recedes, a fundamental part of resilience in the face of future shocks will also be the ability of governments and employers alike to ensure that workers can keep the jobs they already have and – particularly for young people – turn them into careers. For all of the talk about the rise of the gig economy, the health of the post-pandemic economy will continue to rely on stable, attractive employment – albeit with greater flexibility.
In the UAE, last Friday saw the country's first Cabinet meeting of 2022, and the focus was on the economy and workers' rights. A host of legal reforms, including the expansion of longer-term residency visas to more expatriate residents and allowing 100 per cent foreign of onshore companies, will make the Emirati economy more attractive to new talent, aiding in job creation efforts. But it will also encourage more stability in the private sector.
The health of the post-pandemic economy will continue to rely on stable, attractive employment
Part of the reforms includes more flexibility for some categories of residents to change jobs or work on a freelance basis. While this will encourage temporary work, economists have long found that such elasticity in the labour market can also contribute to more stable long-term employment, as workers will have the scope to branch out and find jobs that are the best fit for them, and employers will have the opportunity to try more employees out before they find the one that will thrive on a permanent contract.
The reforms come soon after a November poll by Mercer found that in 2022, UAE companies are set to go on a hiring spree. Those who take new jobs will find themselves entering one of the most dynamic job markets in the Middle East, as salaries are expected to rise, more companies transition to a Monday-to-Friday working week and more managers accommodate part-time working from home.
No country was left untouched by the ferocity with which the Covid-19 pandemic crippled the global economy. But with a holistic focus on the roles job creation and job security really play in post-pandemic economic resilience, governments may find that they can create a labour market that is stronger than ever. As this week's reforms show, one such market will soon be found in the UAE.
Nigel Farage told Reform's annual conference that the party will proscribe the Muslim Brotherhood if he becomes Prime Minister. "We will stop dangerous organisations with links to terrorism operating in our country," he said. "Quite why we've been so gutless about this – both Labour and Conservative – I don't know. “All across the Middle East, countries have banned and proscribed the Muslim Brotherhood as a dangerous organisation. We will do the very same.” It is 10 years since a ground-breaking report into the Muslim Brotherhood by Sir John Jenkins. Among the former diplomat's findings was an assessment that “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” has “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement. The prime minister at the time, David Cameron, who commissioned the report, said membership or association with the Muslim Brotherhood was a "possible indicator of extremism" but it would not be banned.
Players Selected for La Liga Trials
U18 Age Group
Name: Ahmed Salam (Malaga)
Position: Right Wing
Nationality: Jordanian
Name: Yahia Iraqi (Malaga)
Position: Left Wing
Nationality: Morocco
Name: Mohammed Bouherrafa (Almeria)
Position: Centre-Midfield
Nationality: French
Name: Mohammed Rajeh (Cadiz)
Position: Striker
Nationality: Jordanian
U16 Age Group
Name: Mehdi Elkhamlichi (Malaga)
Position: Lead Striker
Nationality: Morocco
What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
