In a tweet on the "X" platform, the UAE Government Media Office announced that all federal government employees will be working remotely today (with the exception of jobs that require presence at the workplace) and that all government schools will be conducting remote learning due to the current weather conditions. These decisions were made based on directives from the Council of Ministers. The news was also published by the Emirates Foundation for School Education, which affirmed that all government schools in the country will henceforth use the remote education system to teach students, following orders from the Council of Ministers. This is because of shifts in the weather.
In light of the current weather situation, the UAE government's media office has announced that all federal higher education institutions will be conducting remote learning today. According to the Ministry, private universities can evaluate the situation based on student interest and study needs, as well as regional and contextual factors.
Companies in the private sector across the country were urged by the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation to be flexible with their employees' work schedules today due to the weather. The ministry also stressed the need to be careful at external business sites where work cannot be stopped easily, to ensure the health and safety of workers as they move to and from these sites, and to meet all occupational health and safety regulations.
It is essential to commit to offering a great deal of flexibility when it comes to the application of working hours so that working conditions and interests can be balanced without conflict, according to the Ministry of Transport. Employees should be educated about road traffic safety principles and should drive cautiously on work trips and in general, especially during emergency weather conditions.
Several preventative measures have been identified to guarantee the safety of workers at work sites during heavy rains and the occurrence of severe weather fluctuations, according to a guideline that regulates the mechanism for how establishments and work sites deal with workers during bad weather. This includes, most notably, warning workers in areas affected by rain and issuing alerts. Project managers should increase the volume to an emergency level, limit power use to essential items during thunderstorms, advise employees to remain indoors, and provide non-slip mats at all building entrances and exits.
According to the guide, in order to make sure that open work sites are as safe as possible during storms and other extreme weather events, facility officials need to put up warning signs and assess the usage of electrical installations, machinery, and tools, particularly those that could break down. In order to keep everyone safe, it is important to review the necessity of performing outdoor work, ensure that workers have the right clothing for rainy weather, stop work in outdoor areas during thunderstorms that are considered "electrical," and secure and cover any chemical or dangerous materials.
Private schools in Abu Dhabi have informed parents through letters and emails that today's study will be conducted remotely. Students will receive lessons in PDF format and have the opportunity to review them again upon their return to school. Teachers will be available during school hours to answer questions. Send an email to them if you have any inquiries.
The decision to resume classes tomorrow or continue with distance learning will be made this evening by schools based on weather conditions and alerts from the relevant authorities. It should be noted that a flexible work schedule could be put in place to accommodate both students and teachers in the event that classes resume and the weather remains bad. Going three hours past the designated start time (as determined by management discretion and mutual agreement) is considered chronic tardiness to school.
