Picture for illustrative purposes only. ARCHIVE

The Federal Authority for Government and Human Resources (FAHR) dismissed rumours on social media that federal government working hours will be shortened to adopt a 4-day work week starting July 1. This came after reports quoting FAHR said that federal government employees who meet certain conditions can apply for a 4-day work week starting July 1. The authority clarified that the application must be approved by the employer and will only be granted in “exceptional cases”. FAHR, however, affirmed that the executive regulations of the Human Resources Law pertain to the introduction of new employment schedules and types of work, such as part-time work, temporary work, flexible work, on-site or remote work both inside and outside the country, hybrid working model and compressed working hours. The compressed working hours system is a type of arrangement that increases the flexibility of the government work environment and facilitates efficiency. The adoption of such a system is subject to specific and clear controls, exceptions and privacy considerations related to the duties of each federal entity and specific positions, FAHR added. The system can only be implemented with the approval of the entity's head, within a defined and short-term timeframe, and in special cases, following specified guidelines in human resources manuals, it said in conclusion. ICA/WAM/Expat Media
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