Dubai Government staff to get allowance, not pay rise

An Emirati fills an online job application form. — KT file photo by Rahul Gajjar

Some 12,821 Dubai Government employees will be given an ‘extra allowance’, but their salaries will not be hiked, contrary to reports in a section of the media.

Arrangements are being made for incorporating the work allowance to these employees, according to Amal Mohammed bin Adi, Director-General of Dubai Government Human Resources Department (DGHR).

The move comes in implementation of the Dubai Executive Council’s Resolution No. 15 of 2013 on streamlining the granting of the Nature of Work Allowance to white collared workers.

A joint government task-force from DGHR and the Department of Finance was set up, which reviewed the lists of the jobs suggested by the government departments, bin Adi said.

The team concluded its job by endorsing the lists of the posts entitled to the allowance. The lists have 1,968 posts in 34 government departments, in which as many as 12,821 employees will benefit. They constitute 32 per cent of the total number of the employees in their respective departments. The employees are distributed in 21 job groups, bin Adi said.

The Resolution of the Dubai Executive Council is confined to the civilian positions in the departments, which are subject to the provisions of the DGHR Department Law No. 27 of 2006 and its amendments.

In this context, the final list has been distributed to the government departments concerned and the allowance is expected to be paid along with the December salaries. “The nature of work allowance puts the government sector in an advanced competitive position in the labour market, and boosts the plans and programmes of Emiratisation in government departments,” said bin Adi.

She said the implementation of the resolution will immensely contribute to boosting the government departments’ capability in attracting talented and competent Emiratis and retain them.

“Granting the allowance to some job categories represent practical application and practices of the known human resources rules, and cannot be described as pay rise to the employees.”

She denied any economic motivations behind paying the allowance, or potential economic effects, as the entitlement to the allowance was confined to specific groups of jobs.

“DGHRD is keen on the competitiveness of the government in the labour market to the extent that it ensures it is a preferred place of work.”

She praised the Government and the DGHR for implementing the resolution. The execution of the resolution is an example of real partnership and integrative work between government departments, she said.

—news@khaleejtimes.com