UAE: MoHRE Customer First Forum Reaches Over 8,200 Participants

The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE) in the UAE announced that the “Customer First Forum” has crossed over 8,200 participants since its launch back in the month of October 2022. The feat was achieved across the 45 sessions that took place under the initiative.

The Customer First Forum initiative conducts virtual sessions on a weekly basis that respond to queries of both employers and employees working in the private sector in the country as well as questions from Emirati men and women seeking employment, especially in the private sector.

The forum’s virtual sessions address private-sector employers’ and employees’ queries

The key objective of the initiative is to address topics that improve awareness of the various Emiratisation resolutions that are implemented in the country, as well as share information about the benefits and other aspects offered under the “Nafis” program that helps UAE citizens to get better job opportunities within the private sector companies in the country.

All the parties involved in the virtual sessions also have the opportunity to share their suggestions and feedback once the session is over, helping the organizers to better optimize the effectiveness of the forum based on the current needs and demands of the UAE workforce.

A press release by the MoHRE stated that “The basic idea of implementing the Customer First Forum is to enhance the direct communication between the Ministry of Human Resources & Emiratisation as well the employees in the private sector.

As an interactive platform, the forum allows both employers and employees in the private sector in the UAE to understand the existing legislations, regulations, resolutions, etc. related to Emiratisation in the country, which is ultimately part of the digital participation policies of the UAE government.”

The release also mentioned that “Its approach focuses on improving engagement amongst customers in the development of services and decisions. The Customer First Forum offers an overall positive experience to the audience by responding to the queries they have, and also benefits from the suggestions and feedback received from them after completing each session.

The initiative is in line with the approach by the UAE government to create new experiences in offering services that adequately meet the people’s needs and live up to meet their aspirations.”

The statement from MoHRE also stated that the forum will continue as it aligns well with the Ministry’s service expectations and also has been successful so far in meeting customer needs, and aspirations, and also in making changes to the awareness methods, procedures, resolutions, etc. as per the suggestions, feedback received.

The 45 sessions conducted under the Customer First Forum so far discussed the UAE Cabinet resolution, effective 2022, that aims at increasing the Emiratisation skilled job levels by 2 percent annually in private sector companies that currently have a workforce of 50 or more.

The Emiratisation level will raise to 10 percent by 2026 end. Private sector companies that meet the criteria for Emiratisation yet fail to achieve the set targets will have to pay a penalty of AED84,000 per Emirati national that it fails to employ as per the quota set.

Earlier, the penalty was set at AED72,000 per Emirati national that the private company that fails to provide employment, as per the quota for 2023. However, the fine amount was increased after consideration of the latest market conditions.

The AED84,000 fine amount, just like the Emiratisation quote, will also increase each year, at a rate of AED1,000 per year per hear until the year 2026.

The forum sessions also discuss other aspects of the “Nafis” program, including the incentives and support packages that are available to Emirati men and women that meet the criteria set.

For instance, Emirati citizens who have lost jobs in the recent past for any reason that’s beyond their control will receive government-funded financial assistance for up to six months. In this six months’ time, the individual is expected to seek other employment opportunities.

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Moreover, in case the individual does receive an employment opportunity but doesn’t show interest in joining the same, then the assistance will be cut off even before reaching the six-months duration.

Similarly, employers in the private sector, who take initiative to hire and train Emirati men and women will be rewarded, including adding such establishments to the “Emiratisation Partners Club”, which raises the establishment’s ranking to the “First Category” in the MoHRE systems, providing them with benefits such as 80 percent discount in services offered by MoHRE, and more.

Apart from the Nafis program, the forum has also addressed regulations related to the Wage Protection System, procedures for submitting labor complaints, self-assessment for establishments, ministerial resolutions that regulate the Federal Decree-Law No. 9 on domestic works and Federal Decree-Law No. 33 that regulates labor relations, procedures involved and benefits related to the unemployment insurance scheme, support mechanism for SMEs in the UAE, etc.

The Customer First Forum sessions will also include the MoHRE package of services that are provided through different platforms to facilitate the process of availing of the services offered.