Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), an international financial hub in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia (MEASA) region, has announced that DIFC Presidential Directive will end on July 31.
On April 26, DIFC declared DIFC Presidential Directive No 4. of 2020, which addressed the pressing need for firms based in the center to be able to access a number of emergency measures related to their workforce to ensure the stability and viability of DIFC firms during the height of the pandemic.
The DIFC Presidential Directive enabled firms to take appropriate action to deal with the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on their business, during the “emergency period” commencing on April 21 and ending on July 31. This enabled DIFC employers to take a number of emergency measures without the consent of their employees, such as reduced working hours, leave with or without pay, reduced salary, restricted workplace access and remote working.
Following consultation with government partners and the legal community, DIFC has confirmed that the Presidential Directive will not be extended beyond the “emergency period” specified in the directive, which ends on July 31.
“Offices and retail outlets across the center are now fully open for business and the health and safety of the DIFC community and our visitors remain our utmost priority. The center continues to undertake strict precautionary measures following the Dubai and UAE government guidelines,” a statement said.
