All Dubai government employees will return to their workplaces on June 14, Sheikh Hamdan has said. The Crown Prince of Dubai said 50 per cent of staff shall resume work at offices from Sunday, May 31, with the entire workforce following suit two weeks later. “Today we approved a decision that allows 50 per cent of Dubai government employees to resume work at offices from Sunday, May 31, and 100 per cent from June 14, 2020, as we continue our gradual return to normal life with intensified precautionary measures,” he said on Twitter on Wednesday. Dubai Economy said 50 per cent of employees - including the private sector - can be in an office at any time, up from 30 per cent previously. No decision has been taken on when all private sector workers will be permitted to return to offices. Sheikh Hamdan said Dubai Government had shown it was fully capable of working remotely using "highly efficient technologies and infrastructure." He said that as a result all essential services were unaffected by the measures, including movement restrictions, put in place to contain the spread of Covid-19. "Our investments in the future paid off sooner than expected. It is reassuring to know we’re heading in the right direction. Now, we’re encouraged to redouble efforts, to accelerate our digital transformation for Dubai to become a model smart city, forever exceeding expectations," he said. Dubai eased movement restrictions on Wednesday with the stay home order being shortened to 11pm to 6am and businesses slowly being allowed to reopen. Under the more relaxed rules, up to half of staff at Dubai companies are allowed to return to their workplaces and cinema, gyms and entertainment centres including ice rinks have been reopened. Non-essential medical services, such as routine trips to the dentist, are also now allowed. Measures to contain the spread of coronavirus, which has infected more than 5.6 million and killed over 350,000 globally, began being implemented across the UAE in March. Flights were suspended and the country's borders closed to everyone but Emiratis in an effort to slow the infection rate. Non-essential businesses were closed and employees were told to work from home whenever possible. At one point, Dubai, which has a population of more than 3 million, had the strictest regulations with residents requiring an online permit from police to leave home to buy essentials from supermarkets and pharmacies. This 24-hour stay home order lifted after authorities found residents and Emiratis to be compliant with safety measures.
