The Sharjah Executive Council has issued Decree No. (36) of 2018 amending the Executive Council Resolution No. (17) of 2017 on the Executive Regulations of Law No. (6) of 2015 concerning human resources in the Emirate.

Heads of various Sharjah government bodies and institutions have underscored the significance of the new amendments to the Executive Regulations of Sharjah Human Resources Law, approved by the Sharjah Executive Council in accordance with the directives and directives of Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohamed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah.

The amendments included the salary hike ordered by His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah in early 2018, which increased the salaries of Sharjah Government employees, as well as the establishment of Sharjah Social Security Fund for UAE nationals at the Government of Sharjah. They also included the addition of new items related to all kinds of promotions, discipline in the workplace, housing allowance and others.

The new amendments further included reliance on the licence to practise issued by the Ministry of Health and Community Protection instead of the previous evaluation, approval of paternity leave and addition of a new article on employee secondment.

Dr Tariq Sultan bin Khadem, chairman of Human Resources Department, said that the amendments to the Executive Regulations align with the vision of His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohamed Al Qasimi to improve laws and regulations that support human resources and devote all potential and capabilities to developing these resources to achieve career, family and social stability to ensure the advancement of government performance.

He explained that the new amendments translate the vision of Sharjah Government in providing a work environment that encourages creativity and innovation, enhances the career development of employees and triggers more effort into increasing productivity and raising the level of satisfaction and happiness among individuals towards meeting the requirements of comprehensive development and supporting progress in the Emirate.

He added that modifications to the Executive Regulations of Sharjah Human Resources Law are in tune with developments in human resources systems at the level of the country and the wider world.

 Dr bin Khadem lauded the support of His Highness Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Crown Prince and Deputy Ruler of Sharjah and Chairman of the Sharjah Executive Council, for the enhancement of laws and regulations that help achieve Sharjah’s vision to provide an ideal working environment for employees at government departments and institutions.

The Human Resources Department Director asserted that the Department had taken into consideration comments by specialists at government departments, institutions and bodies in Sharjah. He noted that the proposals for amendments were prepared according to those comments and submitted to the Higher Committee for Human Resources of the Government of Sharjah, which reviewed and approved them in their final form before submitting them to the Sharjah Executive Council for approval.

The key amendments to the Executive Regulations of Sharjah Human Resources Law are as follows:

1. Following the decree of HH the Ruler of Sharjah in the beginning of 2018 ordering an increase in the wages of all government employees in the Emirate, a revision of all pay scales was carried out. This was in continuation of the tradition of generosity of HH the Ruler of Sharjah for the Sharjah government employees in order to provide them and their families the highest standard of living and wellbeing. Accordingly, the salary scales for all recruitment systems have been amended.

2. A drafting of regulations has been done in light of directives of HH the Ruler of Sharjah, establishing the Sharjah Social Security Fund for the national employees in the Emirate. It is one of the key initiatives of the Sharjah leadership to ensure the comfort and economic security of the national employees and their families covered under the purview of the Fund.

3. Adding a new section in types of promotions (financial upgrade, career promotion or special promotion), where the duration of stay in career is six years to be able to obtain a new career upgrade. In order to encourage employee achievement and excellence, an employee may be promoted financially or exceptionally after 3 years of service, in order to motivate staff to professional development, continuous improvement of performance and enhancement of the cumulative employee experience.
 
4. The establishment of a section in the system of functional discipline aimed at ending any violation the employee may have committed a year after the violation, in order to encourage the employee to the functional commitment.

 5. Modification of the mechanism of payment of housing allowance to employees, especially if both husband and wife are in the service of the Sharjah government; or one of them is in the service of Sharjah government and the other is in the service of the federal government or other local government will be paid housing allowance for the husband’s highest basic salary. If the system of appointment does not give either of them housing or housing allowance for the other spouse working in the Government of Sharjah, regardless of whether his salary is higher or lower, which will lead to family stability, especially for employees entitled to this allowance.

6. Dependence on the licence issued by the competent authority of the Ministry of Health and Community Protection instead of the previous evaluation, as the licence to practise is for a limited period and renewed according to the employee's efficiency, in order to maintain the quality of health and medical services in the relevant government departments and institutions.

7. The law allows the granting of a 3-day leave to an employee who is born in or outside the country to strengthen family values.

8. Allowing the lending or exchange of an employee to enhance cooperation and exchange of expertise between the Government of Sharjah and the Federal Government or with other local governments within the UAE. – TradeArabia News Service