Just as there is a sense of everything beginning to come together in this Dunhill Links championship, played over St Andrews, Carnoustie and Kingsbarns, gale-force winds are threatening to disrupt proceedings tomorrow.
Adverse weather conditions should not make too much of a difference to players such as Simon Dyson, the early halfway leader on 10 under par, and Rory McIlroy and Richie Ramsay who were shaping to finish on the same mark. However, they could make for trouble for some of the amateurs, including 25-year-old Manuel de los Santos, the former baseball player who lost his left leg in a motorcycle accident.
On his own admission, Dyson failed to make the most of himself after winning Rookie of the Year on the Asian Tour in 2000. He would enjoy a few drinks too many and he smoked. Today, he has cut almost all of that out. There were a couple of celebratory drinks following his win in Holland in August but he has since returned to the toughest of keep-fit regimes.
Recently, he set himself a series of goals which he hopes will lead to a place in Colin Montgomerie's 2010 Ryder Cup side.
sports@thenational.ae
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.
