Friday, August 21, 2015
Sunday, August 16, 2015
Online UAE visa service for GCC residents to boost trade
Khalifa Hareb Al-Khaili ARAB NEWS
ABU DHABI: The UAE Ministry of Interior, represented by the Naturalization, Residency and Ports Sector, has launched an online service to allow GCC residents and their escort to get their UAE entry permits (visas) via the various ports across the country, through the “Fawri” portal on the ministry’s website www.moi.gov.ae.
These measures are in line with the Ministerial Decree No.377 of 2014, and in accordance with the required conditions and procedures.
Major General Khalifa Hareb Al-Khaili, assistant undersecretary of the Ministry of Interior for Naturalization, Residency and Ports, indicated that the new service comes in line with the Ministry of Interior’s keenness to keep pace with technology advances in order to expedite passenger movement at the various ports and streamline the visa issuance procedure for passengers before arriving to the country, ultimately save time and effort for travelers.
He said: “The Naturalization, Residency and Ports Sector constantly seeks to elaborate an advanced method to further keep pace with the development and progress witnessed by the UAE in all areas. ”
He also said that additional smart solutions will be rolled out in the future, in order to provide distinguished services that exceed customers’ expectations in record time and in accordance with the highest advanced standards.
Major General Al-Khaili added: “Launching the online visa issuance service for GCC residents and their escort is a paradigm shift inupgrading services’ efficiency, within an integrated strategy toward smart transformation of services and ensure their availability through the Ministry of Interior’s website and smart phones.”
He added: “This approach is in line with the vision of the government aimed at upgrading services provided to the public and empowering the concept of fast, high-quality services.”
For his part, Lt. Col. Matar Kharbash, head of E-services Department at the Naturalization, Residency and Ports Affairs sector, head of the team supporting smart e-transition at the Naturalization, Residency and Ports Sector, stressed the the Interior Ministry’s diligent pursuit to develop smart e-servicesso as to enhance public satisfaction while maintaining a high level of professionalism that exceeds all expectations in various police sectors in the country.
This is in line with the smart government initiative aimed at increasing and boosting awareness of government entities about the benefits of mobile phone services and the need to implement the optimal techniques in the provision of government services to improve performance, based on the creativity and innovation factors and consistent with the need to cater to the requirements of all society segments and achieve their aspirations.
Major General Al-Khaili also pointed out that the visit visa is issued at the various ports in the country, in accordance with Article 42 for GCC expats (not obtaining a prior visa or permission), allows him to enter into the territory of the country if he belongs to any of the following categories:
l Businessmen, investors, partners, and company managers and representatives;
l Accountants, Auditors, doctors, engineers, lawyers and legal advisers;
l Public sector workers other than workers and laborers;
l Family members of the above-mentioned individuals or entities and their escort, namely the helpers, and individuals sponsored by them;
l Foreign family members of GCC nationals, their sponsored helpers and escorts;
l GCC truck drivers transporting goods from any of the GCC countries. They are required to submit a sponsor’s letter of no objection (NOC) from the sponsoring entity in the country of issuance;
l Sponsored of citizens who have residence permits in GCC countries.
ABU DHABI: The UAE Ministry of Interior, represented by the Naturalization, Residency and Ports Sector, has launched an online service to allow GCC residents and their escort to get their UAE entry permits (visas) via the various ports across the country, through the “Fawri” portal on the ministry’s website www.moi.gov.ae.
These measures are in line with the Ministerial Decree No.377 of 2014, and in accordance with the required conditions and procedures.
Major General Khalifa Hareb Al-Khaili, assistant undersecretary of the Ministry of Interior for Naturalization, Residency and Ports, indicated that the new service comes in line with the Ministry of Interior’s keenness to keep pace with technology advances in order to expedite passenger movement at the various ports and streamline the visa issuance procedure for passengers before arriving to the country, ultimately save time and effort for travelers.
He said: “The Naturalization, Residency and Ports Sector constantly seeks to elaborate an advanced method to further keep pace with the development and progress witnessed by the UAE in all areas. ”
He also said that additional smart solutions will be rolled out in the future, in order to provide distinguished services that exceed customers’ expectations in record time and in accordance with the highest advanced standards.
Major General Al-Khaili added: “Launching the online visa issuance service for GCC residents and their escort is a paradigm shift inupgrading services’ efficiency, within an integrated strategy toward smart transformation of services and ensure their availability through the Ministry of Interior’s website and smart phones.”
He added: “This approach is in line with the vision of the government aimed at upgrading services provided to the public and empowering the concept of fast, high-quality services.”
For his part, Lt. Col. Matar Kharbash, head of E-services Department at the Naturalization, Residency and Ports Affairs sector, head of the team supporting smart e-transition at the Naturalization, Residency and Ports Sector, stressed the the Interior Ministry’s diligent pursuit to develop smart e-servicesso as to enhance public satisfaction while maintaining a high level of professionalism that exceeds all expectations in various police sectors in the country.
This is in line with the smart government initiative aimed at increasing and boosting awareness of government entities about the benefits of mobile phone services and the need to implement the optimal techniques in the provision of government services to improve performance, based on the creativity and innovation factors and consistent with the need to cater to the requirements of all society segments and achieve their aspirations.
Major General Al-Khaili also pointed out that the visit visa is issued at the various ports in the country, in accordance with Article 42 for GCC expats (not obtaining a prior visa or permission), allows him to enter into the territory of the country if he belongs to any of the following categories:
l Businessmen, investors, partners, and company managers and representatives;
l Accountants, Auditors, doctors, engineers, lawyers and legal advisers;
l Public sector workers other than workers and laborers;
l Family members of the above-mentioned individuals or entities and their escort, namely the helpers, and individuals sponsored by them;
l Foreign family members of GCC nationals, their sponsored helpers and escorts;
l GCC truck drivers transporting goods from any of the GCC countries. They are required to submit a sponsor’s letter of no objection (NOC) from the sponsoring entity in the country of issuance;
l Sponsored of citizens who have residence permits in GCC countries.
Monday, August 10, 2015
Google just announced a massive overhaul of its business structure
Google's founders just hit a massive reset button on their business.
In a press release sent out Monday afternoon, cofounder and CEO Larry Page renamed and reorganized the company.
Google has been relegated to being a subsidiary of a company called "Alphabet".
Alphabet will be a parent company that oversees the new initiatives Google has been launching as of late.
Larry Page will be the CEO of Alphabet. Sergey Brin, Google's other cofounder, is the president of Alphabet.
Sundar Pichai is now CEO of Google. Pichai has been running Google since October of last year.
In the release, Page praises Pichai, saying, "It is clear to us and our board that it is time for Sundar to be CEO of Google. I feel very fortunate to have someone as talented as he is to run the slightly slimmed down Google and this frees up time for me to continue to scale our aspirations."
While this is a bit confusing, and overwhelming, it makes plenty of sense for Google to refashion itself.
The company has been taking bigger and bigger bets in the past few years that have very little to do with the company's original mission of organizing the world's information.
For instance, in July of 2013, Google announced plans to launch a company focused on curing death. That company, Calico, was going to operate as a standalone entity. Calico will be a subsidiary of Alphabet, just like Google.
In the release, Page lays out the priorities for Alphabet:
Getting more ambitious things done.
Taking the long-term view.
Empowering great entrepreneurs and companies to flourish.
Investing at the scale of the opportunities and resources we see.
Improving the transparency and oversight of what we’re doing.
Making Google even better through greater focus.
And hopefully... as a result of all this, improving the lives of as many people as we can.
While not mentioned in the release as potential standalones, we would think companies like Nest, Android, and YouTube could also be their own subsidiaries of Alphabet.
From an organizational perspective, it makes sense for Page to oversee a half dozen independently running businesses and offer his guidance and direction where possible.
Page was no longer interested in the nitty-gritty of running a business like Google. He wasn't going to be in meetings talking about increasing the cost per click. He wasn't going to get geeked over iterative changes to Gmail. He wants to see big fat honking changes happen in the world. This, apparently, was the best way to do that in his opinion.
Here's the release:
Google Announces Plans for New Operating Structure
August 10, 2015
G is for Google.
As Sergey and I wrote in the original founders letter 11 years ago, “Google is not a conventional company. We do not intend to become one.” As part of that, we also said that you could expect us to make “smaller bets in areas that might seem very speculative or even strange when compared to our current businesses.” From the start, we’ve always strived to do more, and to do important and meaningful things with the resources we have.
We did a lot of things that seemed crazy at the time. Many of those crazy things now have over a billion users, like Google Maps, YouTube, Chrome, and Android. And we haven’t stopped there. We are still trying to do things other people think are crazy but we are super excited about.
We’ve long believed that over time companies tend to get comfortable doing the same thing, just making incremental changes. But in the technology industry, where revolutionary ideas drive the next big growth areas, you need to be a bit uncomfortable to stay relevant.
Our company is operating well today, but we think we can make it cleaner and more accountable. So we are creating a new company, called Alphabet. I am really excited to be running Alphabet as CEO with help from my capable partner, Sergey, as President.
What is Alphabet? Alphabet is mostly a collection of companies. The largest of which, of course, is Google. This newer Google is a bit slimmed down, with the companies that are pretty far afield of our main internet products contained in Alphabet instead. What do we mean by far afield? Good examples are our health efforts: Life Sciences (that works on the glucose-sensing contact lens), and Calico (focused on longevity). Fundamentally, we believe this allows us more management scale, as we can run things independently that aren’t very related.
Alphabet is about businesses prospering through strong leaders and independence. In general, our model is to have a strong CEO who runs each business, with Sergey and me in service to them as needed. We will rigorously handle capital allocation and work to make sure each business is executing well. We'll also make sure we have a great CEO for each business, and we’ll determine their compensation. In addition, with this new structure we plan to implement segment reporting for our Q4 results, where Google financials will be provided separately than those for the rest of Alphabet businesses as a whole.
This new structure will allow us to keep tremendous focus on the extraordinary opportunities we have inside of Google. A key part of this is Sundar Pichai. Sundar has been saying the things I would have said (and sometimes better!) for quite some time now, and I’ve been tremendously enjoying our work together. He has really stepped up since October of last year, when he took on product and engineering responsibility for our internet businesses. Sergey and I have been super excited about his progress and dedication to the company. And it is clear to us and our board that it is time for Sundar to be CEO of Google. I feel very fortunate to have someone as talented as he is to run the slightly slimmed down Google and this frees up time for me to continue to scale our aspirations. I have been spending quite a bit of time with Sundar, helping him and the company in any way I can, and I will of course continue to do that. Google itself is also making all sorts of new products, and I know Sundar will always be focused on innovation—continuing to stretch boundaries. I know he deeply cares that we can continue to make big strides on our core mission to organize the world's information. Recent launches like Google Photos and Google Now using machine learning are amazing progress. Google also has some services that are run with their own identity, like YouTube. Susan is doing a great job as CEO, running a strong brand and driving incredible growth.
Sergey and I are seriously in the business of starting new things. Alphabet will also include our X lab, which incubates new efforts like Wing, our drone delivery effort. We are also stoked about growing our investment arms, Ventures and Capital, as part of this new structure.
Alphabet Inc. will replace Google Inc. as the publicly-traded entity and all shares of Google will automatically convert into the same number of shares of Alphabet, with all of the same rights. Google will become a wholly-owned subsidiary of Alphabet. Our two classes of shares will continue to trade on Nasdaq as GOOGL and GOOG.
For Sergey and me this is a very exciting new chapter in the life of Google—the birth of Alphabet. We liked the name Alphabet because it means a collection of letters that represent language, one of humanity's most important innovations, and is the core of how we index with Google search! We also like that it means alpha‑bet (Alpha is investment return above benchmark), which we strive for! I should add that we are not intending for this to be a big consumer brand with related products—the whole point is that Alphabet companies should have independence and develop their own brands.
We are excited about...
Getting more ambitious things done.
Taking the long-term view.
Empowering great entrepreneurs and companies to flourish.
Investing at the scale of the opportunities and resources we see.
Improving the transparency and oversight of what we’re doing.
Making Google even better through greater focus.
And hopefully... as a result of all this, improving the lives of as many people as we can.
What could be better? No wonder we are excited to get to work with everyone in the Alphabet family. Don’t worry, we’re still getting used to the name too!
Larry Page
CEO, Alphabet
 |
| Larry Page |
Google has been relegated to being a subsidiary of a company called "Alphabet".
Alphabet will be a parent company that oversees the new initiatives Google has been launching as of late.
Larry Page will be the CEO of Alphabet. Sergey Brin, Google's other cofounder, is the president of Alphabet.
Sundar Pichai is now CEO of Google. Pichai has been running Google since October of last year.
In the release, Page praises Pichai, saying, "It is clear to us and our board that it is time for Sundar to be CEO of Google. I feel very fortunate to have someone as talented as he is to run the slightly slimmed down Google and this frees up time for me to continue to scale our aspirations."
While this is a bit confusing, and overwhelming, it makes plenty of sense for Google to refashion itself.
The company has been taking bigger and bigger bets in the past few years that have very little to do with the company's original mission of organizing the world's information.
For instance, in July of 2013, Google announced plans to launch a company focused on curing death. That company, Calico, was going to operate as a standalone entity. Calico will be a subsidiary of Alphabet, just like Google.
In the release, Page lays out the priorities for Alphabet:
Getting more ambitious things done.
Taking the long-term view.
Empowering great entrepreneurs and companies to flourish.
Investing at the scale of the opportunities and resources we see.
Improving the transparency and oversight of what we’re doing.
Making Google even better through greater focus.
And hopefully... as a result of all this, improving the lives of as many people as we can.
While not mentioned in the release as potential standalones, we would think companies like Nest, Android, and YouTube could also be their own subsidiaries of Alphabet.
From an organizational perspective, it makes sense for Page to oversee a half dozen independently running businesses and offer his guidance and direction where possible.
Page was no longer interested in the nitty-gritty of running a business like Google. He wasn't going to be in meetings talking about increasing the cost per click. He wasn't going to get geeked over iterative changes to Gmail. He wants to see big fat honking changes happen in the world. This, apparently, was the best way to do that in his opinion.
Here's the release:
Google Announces Plans for New Operating Structure
August 10, 2015
G is for Google.
As Sergey and I wrote in the original founders letter 11 years ago, “Google is not a conventional company. We do not intend to become one.” As part of that, we also said that you could expect us to make “smaller bets in areas that might seem very speculative or even strange when compared to our current businesses.” From the start, we’ve always strived to do more, and to do important and meaningful things with the resources we have.
We did a lot of things that seemed crazy at the time. Many of those crazy things now have over a billion users, like Google Maps, YouTube, Chrome, and Android. And we haven’t stopped there. We are still trying to do things other people think are crazy but we are super excited about.
We’ve long believed that over time companies tend to get comfortable doing the same thing, just making incremental changes. But in the technology industry, where revolutionary ideas drive the next big growth areas, you need to be a bit uncomfortable to stay relevant.
Our company is operating well today, but we think we can make it cleaner and more accountable. So we are creating a new company, called Alphabet. I am really excited to be running Alphabet as CEO with help from my capable partner, Sergey, as President.
What is Alphabet? Alphabet is mostly a collection of companies. The largest of which, of course, is Google. This newer Google is a bit slimmed down, with the companies that are pretty far afield of our main internet products contained in Alphabet instead. What do we mean by far afield? Good examples are our health efforts: Life Sciences (that works on the glucose-sensing contact lens), and Calico (focused on longevity). Fundamentally, we believe this allows us more management scale, as we can run things independently that aren’t very related.
Alphabet is about businesses prospering through strong leaders and independence. In general, our model is to have a strong CEO who runs each business, with Sergey and me in service to them as needed. We will rigorously handle capital allocation and work to make sure each business is executing well. We'll also make sure we have a great CEO for each business, and we’ll determine their compensation. In addition, with this new structure we plan to implement segment reporting for our Q4 results, where Google financials will be provided separately than those for the rest of Alphabet businesses as a whole.
This new structure will allow us to keep tremendous focus on the extraordinary opportunities we have inside of Google. A key part of this is Sundar Pichai. Sundar has been saying the things I would have said (and sometimes better!) for quite some time now, and I’ve been tremendously enjoying our work together. He has really stepped up since October of last year, when he took on product and engineering responsibility for our internet businesses. Sergey and I have been super excited about his progress and dedication to the company. And it is clear to us and our board that it is time for Sundar to be CEO of Google. I feel very fortunate to have someone as talented as he is to run the slightly slimmed down Google and this frees up time for me to continue to scale our aspirations. I have been spending quite a bit of time with Sundar, helping him and the company in any way I can, and I will of course continue to do that. Google itself is also making all sorts of new products, and I know Sundar will always be focused on innovation—continuing to stretch boundaries. I know he deeply cares that we can continue to make big strides on our core mission to organize the world's information. Recent launches like Google Photos and Google Now using machine learning are amazing progress. Google also has some services that are run with their own identity, like YouTube. Susan is doing a great job as CEO, running a strong brand and driving incredible growth.
Sergey and I are seriously in the business of starting new things. Alphabet will also include our X lab, which incubates new efforts like Wing, our drone delivery effort. We are also stoked about growing our investment arms, Ventures and Capital, as part of this new structure.
Alphabet Inc. will replace Google Inc. as the publicly-traded entity and all shares of Google will automatically convert into the same number of shares of Alphabet, with all of the same rights. Google will become a wholly-owned subsidiary of Alphabet. Our two classes of shares will continue to trade on Nasdaq as GOOGL and GOOG.
For Sergey and me this is a very exciting new chapter in the life of Google—the birth of Alphabet. We liked the name Alphabet because it means a collection of letters that represent language, one of humanity's most important innovations, and is the core of how we index with Google search! We also like that it means alpha‑bet (Alpha is investment return above benchmark), which we strive for! I should add that we are not intending for this to be a big consumer brand with related products—the whole point is that Alphabet companies should have independence and develop their own brands.
We are excited about...
Getting more ambitious things done.
Taking the long-term view.
Empowering great entrepreneurs and companies to flourish.
Investing at the scale of the opportunities and resources we see.
Improving the transparency and oversight of what we’re doing.
Making Google even better through greater focus.
And hopefully... as a result of all this, improving the lives of as many people as we can.
What could be better? No wonder we are excited to get to work with everyone in the Alphabet family. Don’t worry, we’re still getting used to the name too!
Larry Page
CEO, Alphabet
Well-known Pakistani journalist held for fraud in Abu Dhabi
Dr Moeed Pirzada has been detained in Abu Dhabi for fraudulently obtaining thumb impressions from his father.
A well-known Pakistani TV journalist, Dr Moeed Pirzada, has been detained in Abu Dhabi for fraudulently obtaining thumb impressions from his father, who is admitted in a local hospital in a critical condition.
Dr Pirzada and his sister were detained after hospital staff reported the matter to the Abu Dhabi Police.
His father, an Abu Dhabi-based medical doctor, is in the intensive care unit of the hospital. He has been hospitalised for "quite some time", a Pakistan Embassy source told Khaleej Times on Saturday.
According to the embassy official, the detained journalist
reportedly planned to use the thumb impressions on documents to withdraw the accrued profits and interest from investment certificates valued at about Dh20,000-Dh30,000.
The official said he plans to visit Dr Pirzada in prison on Sunday to provide necessary counselor services.
The Abu Dhabi Police was not immediately available for a comment. KT's calls and an SMS to the police remained unanswered at the time of going to print. An Abu Dhabi Police spokesman said more details of the case would be available on Sunday.
On Friday, Qazi Khalil Ullah, the spokesman of Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, told dawn.com: "Moeed was arrested on August 4. He did speak to Pakistan Embassy before his arrest."
In his last tweet on August 6 at 9.51pm, the respected political commentator asked his 536,037 followers on Twitter for prayers. "My father is critically ill and spending time with him overseas (sic). Keep us in your prayers," he wrote.
Last updated on August 10, 2015 at 06.29 am
A well-known Pakistani TV journalist, Dr Moeed Pirzada, has been detained in Abu Dhabi for fraudulently obtaining thumb impressions from his father, who is admitted in a local hospital in a critical condition.
Dr Pirzada and his sister were detained after hospital staff reported the matter to the Abu Dhabi Police.
His father, an Abu Dhabi-based medical doctor, is in the intensive care unit of the hospital. He has been hospitalised for "quite some time", a Pakistan Embassy source told Khaleej Times on Saturday.
According to the embassy official, the detained journalist
reportedly planned to use the thumb impressions on documents to withdraw the accrued profits and interest from investment certificates valued at about Dh20,000-Dh30,000.
The official said he plans to visit Dr Pirzada in prison on Sunday to provide necessary counselor services.
The Abu Dhabi Police was not immediately available for a comment. KT's calls and an SMS to the police remained unanswered at the time of going to print. An Abu Dhabi Police spokesman said more details of the case would be available on Sunday.
On Friday, Qazi Khalil Ullah, the spokesman of Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, told dawn.com: "Moeed was arrested on August 4. He did speak to Pakistan Embassy before his arrest."
In his last tweet on August 6 at 9.51pm, the respected political commentator asked his 536,037 followers on Twitter for prayers. "My father is critically ill and spending time with him overseas (sic). Keep us in your prayers," he wrote.
Last updated on August 10, 2015 at 06.29 am
Employer can impose labour ban if employee breaches contract
An employee who may terminate his employment contract before the completion of the term may have to compensate his employer for any prejudice suffered by the latter.
Can you explain to me what happens in case of breach of limited period contract by an employee? I contacted the Ministry of Labour call centre regarding this and they told me that an employee will have to pay 45 days' salary.
They also said that the employer has the option to impose a labour ban on the employee. If an employee pays 45 days' salary to the employer, can a one-year labour ban be still imposed?
Pursuant to your question, it may be noted that the provisions pertaining to payment of compensation to the employer in respect of termination of the employment contract by the employee and the provisions pertaining to imposition of an employment ban are independent of each other.
Although both may culminate out of termination of an employment contract by the employee and may be imposed simultaneously, they are severable in their interpretation and implication in the context of the concurring provisions of the Federal Law No 8 of 1980 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (the "Labour Law").
Both the provisions may be simultaneously applied and one may not be imposed or waived as an exception to the other.
An employee who may terminate his employment contract before the completion of the term of the contract may have to compensate his employer for any prejudice suffered by the latter for the same. This is in accordance with Article 116 of the Labour Law.
However, the provisions shall be applicable only when the employment contract is of unlimited duration. The concurrent provisions of Article 116 may be noted which read as follows:
"Article 116 - Where a contract is revoked by the worker for reasons other than those specified in article (121), he shall be required to compensate the employer for any prejudice the latter sustains as a result; provided that the amount of compensation shall not exceed half the worker's remuneration for three months or the residual period of the contract, whichever is shorter unless the contract contains a provision to the contrary."
The provisions pertaining to imposition of labour ban follows the provisions of Article 128 and Article 129 of the Labour Law. Article 128 deals with the provision of law in respect of termination of a limited period contract and it reads as follows:
"Article 128: Where a non-national worker leaves his work without a valid reason before the expiry of a contract for a limited period, he may not, even with the employer's consent, take up other employment for one year from the date on which he left his work. It shall not be lawful for any other employer who is aware of the fact to recruit such worker or keep him in his service before the expiry of such period."
Further the provisions of Article 129 deals with the provision of law relating to unlimited period contracts:
"Article 129 - Where a non-national notifies the employer of his desire to terminate a contract of unlimited duration and leave his work before the expiry of the statutory period of notice, he shall not, even with the employer's consent, take up other employment for one year from the date on which he left his work. It shall not be lawful for any other employer who is aware of the fact to recruit or keep him in his service before the expiry of such period." However, it may also be noted that the foregoing provisions of Labour Law are not meant to be prejudicial to the interests of the employee and also they are not applicable in every case where an employee seeks to terminate the employment contract. The provisions pertaining to imposition of labour bans are applicable only in cases where an outgoing employee arbitrarily terminates the employment contract, that is, without a good reason on his part.
It may also be noted that labour bans may not be imposed in cases where the employer and the employee have mutually agreed to the termination of the contract, in accordance with Article 130 of the Labour Law, which states:
"Article 130 - The provisions of article 128 and 129 shall not apply to a non-national worker who, before taking up other employment, obtains the authorisation of the Minister of Labour and Social Affairs with the approval of the original employer."
Otherwise, the employee may not have to face an employment ban if he has a good reason to that effect or where the reason for termination of contract may well be attributed to the employer. This is in accordance with the provisions of Article 121, which states:
"Article 121 - A worker may leave his work without notice in either of the following case:
a) If the employer fail to comply with his obligation towards him, as provided for in the contract or in this Law;
b) If he is assaulted by the employer or the employer's legal representative."
Changing jobs 3 months after renewing contract
I am working on an unlimited period contract and hold an accountant's visa. I have a bachelor's degree. I have already completed two years with my employer and renewed my visa three months ago. However, I now wish to change my company.
I contacted the Ministry of Labour call centre and was informed that I need a minimum salary of Dh5,000 to avoid the labour ban. Can you tell me how to avoid the labour ban?
Pursuant to your question, it may be noted that the legal provisions pertaining to lifting of employment bans are provided under the Ministerial Order No. 1186 of 2010 on "Rules and Conditions of Granting a New Work Permit to an Employee after Termination of the Work Relationship in Order to Move from One Establishment to Another" (the "Ministerial Order").
In view of the provisions of the Ministerial Order, it may be noted that after the completion of two years of continuous service, an employee may not have to face an employment ban if both the employer and the employee agree to the termination of the employment contract. This is in accordance with Article 2 of the Ministerial Order, which states:
"Article (2) - The following two conditions must be met in order to grant the work permit mentioned in Article (1) of this resolution:
1. Agreement between the employee and the employer to conclude the work relationship.
2. The employee must have spent at least two years with the employer."
Pursuant to the foregoing, if you may also secure a no-objection letter from your current employer, no employment ban should be imposed on you.
It may be noted that employment bans are not imposed if after termination of an existing employment contract, one is subsequently offered a salary prescribed for one's professional qualifications. Since you are holding a bachelor's degree, the minimum salary that should be offered by your new employer must be at least Dh7,000, in accordance with Article 4 of the Ministerial Order which states:
"As an exception to the provision of the Item No (2) of Article 2 of this Resolution, the Ministry may issue a work permit to an employee without requiring the two-year period in the following cases:
a) In the event that the employee is starting his new position at the first, second or third professional levels after fulfilling the conditions for joining any of these levels according to the rules in force at the Ministry, and provided that his new wage is not less than Dh12,000 at the first professional level, Dh7,000 at the second professional level and Dh5,000 at the third professional level..."
Further, it is learnt that employment ban issued by the Ministry of Labour may not be applicable for entities established and based in free-zones of the UAE. And therefore, you may also explore the possibility to seek employment in such free-zone entities even if an employment ban is imposed on you by the Ministry of Labour.
Can you explain to me what happens in case of breach of limited period contract by an employee? I contacted the Ministry of Labour call centre regarding this and they told me that an employee will have to pay 45 days' salary.
They also said that the employer has the option to impose a labour ban on the employee. If an employee pays 45 days' salary to the employer, can a one-year labour ban be still imposed?
Pursuant to your question, it may be noted that the provisions pertaining to payment of compensation to the employer in respect of termination of the employment contract by the employee and the provisions pertaining to imposition of an employment ban are independent of each other.
Although both may culminate out of termination of an employment contract by the employee and may be imposed simultaneously, they are severable in their interpretation and implication in the context of the concurring provisions of the Federal Law No 8 of 1980 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (the "Labour Law").
Both the provisions may be simultaneously applied and one may not be imposed or waived as an exception to the other.
An employee who may terminate his employment contract before the completion of the term of the contract may have to compensate his employer for any prejudice suffered by the latter for the same. This is in accordance with Article 116 of the Labour Law.
However, the provisions shall be applicable only when the employment contract is of unlimited duration. The concurrent provisions of Article 116 may be noted which read as follows:
"Article 116 - Where a contract is revoked by the worker for reasons other than those specified in article (121), he shall be required to compensate the employer for any prejudice the latter sustains as a result; provided that the amount of compensation shall not exceed half the worker's remuneration for three months or the residual period of the contract, whichever is shorter unless the contract contains a provision to the contrary."
The provisions pertaining to imposition of labour ban follows the provisions of Article 128 and Article 129 of the Labour Law. Article 128 deals with the provision of law in respect of termination of a limited period contract and it reads as follows:
"Article 128: Where a non-national worker leaves his work without a valid reason before the expiry of a contract for a limited period, he may not, even with the employer's consent, take up other employment for one year from the date on which he left his work. It shall not be lawful for any other employer who is aware of the fact to recruit such worker or keep him in his service before the expiry of such period."
Further the provisions of Article 129 deals with the provision of law relating to unlimited period contracts:
"Article 129 - Where a non-national notifies the employer of his desire to terminate a contract of unlimited duration and leave his work before the expiry of the statutory period of notice, he shall not, even with the employer's consent, take up other employment for one year from the date on which he left his work. It shall not be lawful for any other employer who is aware of the fact to recruit or keep him in his service before the expiry of such period." However, it may also be noted that the foregoing provisions of Labour Law are not meant to be prejudicial to the interests of the employee and also they are not applicable in every case where an employee seeks to terminate the employment contract. The provisions pertaining to imposition of labour bans are applicable only in cases where an outgoing employee arbitrarily terminates the employment contract, that is, without a good reason on his part.
It may also be noted that labour bans may not be imposed in cases where the employer and the employee have mutually agreed to the termination of the contract, in accordance with Article 130 of the Labour Law, which states:
"Article 130 - The provisions of article 128 and 129 shall not apply to a non-national worker who, before taking up other employment, obtains the authorisation of the Minister of Labour and Social Affairs with the approval of the original employer."
Otherwise, the employee may not have to face an employment ban if he has a good reason to that effect or where the reason for termination of contract may well be attributed to the employer. This is in accordance with the provisions of Article 121, which states:
"Article 121 - A worker may leave his work without notice in either of the following case:
a) If the employer fail to comply with his obligation towards him, as provided for in the contract or in this Law;
b) If he is assaulted by the employer or the employer's legal representative."
Changing jobs 3 months after renewing contract
I am working on an unlimited period contract and hold an accountant's visa. I have a bachelor's degree. I have already completed two years with my employer and renewed my visa three months ago. However, I now wish to change my company.
I contacted the Ministry of Labour call centre and was informed that I need a minimum salary of Dh5,000 to avoid the labour ban. Can you tell me how to avoid the labour ban?
Pursuant to your question, it may be noted that the legal provisions pertaining to lifting of employment bans are provided under the Ministerial Order No. 1186 of 2010 on "Rules and Conditions of Granting a New Work Permit to an Employee after Termination of the Work Relationship in Order to Move from One Establishment to Another" (the "Ministerial Order").
In view of the provisions of the Ministerial Order, it may be noted that after the completion of two years of continuous service, an employee may not have to face an employment ban if both the employer and the employee agree to the termination of the employment contract. This is in accordance with Article 2 of the Ministerial Order, which states:
"Article (2) - The following two conditions must be met in order to grant the work permit mentioned in Article (1) of this resolution:
1. Agreement between the employee and the employer to conclude the work relationship.
2. The employee must have spent at least two years with the employer."
Pursuant to the foregoing, if you may also secure a no-objection letter from your current employer, no employment ban should be imposed on you.
It may be noted that employment bans are not imposed if after termination of an existing employment contract, one is subsequently offered a salary prescribed for one's professional qualifications. Since you are holding a bachelor's degree, the minimum salary that should be offered by your new employer must be at least Dh7,000, in accordance with Article 4 of the Ministerial Order which states:
"As an exception to the provision of the Item No (2) of Article 2 of this Resolution, the Ministry may issue a work permit to an employee without requiring the two-year period in the following cases:
a) In the event that the employee is starting his new position at the first, second or third professional levels after fulfilling the conditions for joining any of these levels according to the rules in force at the Ministry, and provided that his new wage is not less than Dh12,000 at the first professional level, Dh7,000 at the second professional level and Dh5,000 at the third professional level..."
Further, it is learnt that employment ban issued by the Ministry of Labour may not be applicable for entities established and based in free-zones of the UAE. And therefore, you may also explore the possibility to seek employment in such free-zone entities even if an employment ban is imposed on you by the Ministry of Labour.
Sunday, August 9, 2015
10 credit card payment myths busted
Technology and e-commerce are on the rise and paying electronically is a convenient solution. But safety issues concerning electronic payments make people hesitant to do an online transaction.
MasterCard busts some common myths about cashless payment solutions:
1. Myth: Card information breaches are rampant and out of control.
Truth: Efforts by the payments technology industry to enhance the security of payment systems has delivered substantial falls in card breaches. While payments have never been safer, criminals have never been smarter. Companies globally are collaborating to address key issues on safety and security. Electronic payments remain one of the safest ways to pay, more so than cash.
2. Myth: Cash is a secure, anonymous solution.
Truth: Cash is the least secure form of payment because, if stolen, it can be used by anyone without any need for authentication.
3. Myth: Chip and PIN is a security silver bullet.
Truth: There is no silver bullet to completely stop security breaches. However, technology on a payment card has multiple layers of security that help detect and mitigate threats. Chip and PIN technology is just one example of a security layer that helps fight persistent security threats.
4. Myth: Security is still the biggest concern that prevents consumers from shopping online.
Truth: Shopping online can be a daunting experience for a first-time user, but there are technology advancements that allow online retailers to add another layer of security for transactions by asking the consumer to enter a password. That password is only known by the consumer.
5. Myth: When shopping online, the more information I enter, the more secure my purchase.
Truth: It’s preferable for online retailers to authenticate an online shopper with the minimum information possible. Ideally, they will request the three-digit CVC or CVV number on the back of your card to complete a payment. Alternatively, adopting a digital wallet takes the hassle out of repeatedly adding your payment and shipping information, with the benefit of having all the security of your payment card included.
6. Myth: Thieves can scan contactless cards through handbags or from a distance to steal your data.
Truth: Thanks to a microchip with advanced encryption technology that’s embedded inside the card, it is extremely difficult to copy a contactless chip and create a functioning counterfeit version. This is because only a minimal amount of information would be accessible – and not the same information that would be used to complete a transactions at a point of sale.
7. Myth: By intercepting contactless data, thieves may prepare a fake contactless card and then use it to make transactions.
Truth: Contactless cards only work in very close proximity to the point of sale and only give a minimal amount of information from an account holder. In such situations it is impossible to clone a card.
8. Myth: Fraudsters can electronically pickpocket your card/device information for identity theft.
Truth: There is a clear distinction between identity theft, where a consumer’s identity is assumed by another individual for criminal purposes, and payment card fraud, where a consumer’s card information is compromised and used to make unauthorised purchases. As contactless cards only send a minimal amount of information, there is very little risk of actual identity theft.
9. Myth: My spending data can be shared.
Truth: All spending data is anonymised and aggregated and cannot be traced back to individuals. If you’re getting cold calls from unknown salespeople, rest assured that they did not get your details from a technology payment provider.
10. Myth: Prepaid cards are not secure because if lost or stolen you lose the money on the card.
Truth: If you’re worried about card security breaches and identity theft, a prepaid card could be a good option as they’re not linked to your bank account and are PIN-protected. You can also use prepaid cards to buy goods online, safe in the knowledge that a thief who manages to get hold of your prepaid card details could not run up a bill at your expense.
Saturday, August 8, 2015
7 sentences successful people never say
Success is not something that can be accomplished overnight.
It takes a lot of hard work, time and sheer dedication.
Every successful leader, entrepreneur or idealist has had their own unique journey as they strove for what they believed in and proved to society that anyone can break free from the chains they think are holding them back.
Although each of them had different a different path, their destination was the same: success.
There are many factors which tie these successful individuals together, one of them being how they grew and matured along the journey. Steve Siebold, author of “How Rich People Think,” interviewed more than a thousand millionaires over three decades to learn what led them to their success and wealth.
The answer was quite simple: Steve learned that it did not matter where they were born, or even to whom — what really made these millionaires stand out was their mentality, the drive to reach their goals while letting nothing hold them back. This mindset led these individuals to wealth.
Here are seven sentences you’ll never hear a successful person say because they contradict that unstoppable attitude.
1. “I hate my job”
See also: “I hate this company,” “My boss is an idiot”
One highly-admired quality in successful people is that they are never too opinionated about their job or workplace, irrespective of what they might be doing at any point in life. Even if they are in a situation which is uncomfortable or are surrounded with negative energy, they always avoid statements like the above. These negative elements do nothing but slow you down in your journey to achieve success. Instead of insulting a person, the job or the company, they seek to resolve issue with proper facts, tactics and complete neutrality.
2. “That’s not fair”
See also: “But I deserve it more”
Did your rival receive an award, appraisal, or recognition and you got nothing, while you’re twice as dedicated and productive? A mistake successful people never make is ranting and raving about the injustices of life. Unfairness is something you have to get used to. Success is not gifted to you — you have to work to earn it, and in the midst of doing that you need to show you deserve it.
Instead of whining and complaining, the secret of being able to move on is to be proactive about such issues and not reactive. Causing a scene will only affect you negatively. If you think you were much more deserving, prove it by making a strong case and presenting it.
3. “That’s not how it’s done here”
See also: “Because it has always been done this way”
Innovation is a key characteristic of successful people, whichever fields they might be in. You have to learn to embrace new things and not be afraid of doing away with conventions. Nobody ever achieved anything great without trying something new.
Take Steve Jobs for instance: Mr. Jobs was very passionate about innovation and such passion led to amazing creations like the iPhone and the iPad, devices that changed the world. Jobs once said, “Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower.”
Darlene Price, president of Well Said, Inc., shared some advice with Business Insider about keeping an open mind and innovating at work. “Even if you disagree with someone’s idea, say instead, ‘Wow, that’s an interesting idea. How would that work?'” Price said. “Or, ‘That’s a different approach. Let’s discuss the pros and cons.'” Don’t be obstinate and afraid to try new things — that’s not the way success is achieved!
4. “That’s not my job”
See also: “Not my problem,” “I don’t get paid enough”
There is one big rule which successful individuals follow: If you are truly successful, you will help others succeed as well. An example of this can be taken from Mr. Warren Buffett, who said, “Someone’s sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree a long time ago.”
Becoming a team player is what helps you get closer to success, and if you are not a team player success will never come to you. You might be rich, you might be successful, but the hard work and dedication of your employees and members of your business or organization are the real reason behind your success and your reputation.
5. “That’s impossible”
See also: “That can’t be done,” “I can’t do this”
Successful people know that boundaries and limits are only creations of the mind, and we ourselves give birth to such restrictions. Such statements needlessly hold you back from achieving greatness. Achievers do not complain about barriers or hurdles; instead they find a way around obstacles and use their creativity to challenge them.
Negative words like “can’t,” “won’t,” and “impossible” are never heard from the mouths of successful individuals. They know complaining will not help them, but actually doing something about the issue at hand will.
6. “I could have”
See also: “I should have,” “I might have been able to”
Regret is the worst feeling an individual can face, to keep revisiting times when they “could have” done something, the situation was out of hand or else they “would have,” now realizing that they “should have.” Successful individuals do not give themselves the opportunity to regret. This is due to two reasons: either they take the opportunity, no matter the odds, and turn the tables around; or they move on and find another opportunity that awaits. Regret is never going to serve anyone.
7. “I have no choice”
See also: “I have no other options,” “I’ve done all I can”
There are always options and opportunities at hand, and successful people know how to create their own way to these opportunities. Price pointed out, “To say we have no choice in the matter implies that we perceive ourselves as a victim, that we are less powerful than our environment.”
Josh Felber has been recognized multiple times in the National Who’s Who of Entrepreneurs, was a National Winner of the ATT and USA Today Investment Challenge, and has been featured on radio and television in the greater Akron area. Josh co-authored two-time best-selling books “Transform” with Brian Tracy, as well as “SuccessOnomics” with Steve Forbes.
It takes a lot of hard work, time and sheer dedication.
Every successful leader, entrepreneur or idealist has had their own unique journey as they strove for what they believed in and proved to society that anyone can break free from the chains they think are holding them back.Although each of them had different a different path, their destination was the same: success.
There are many factors which tie these successful individuals together, one of them being how they grew and matured along the journey. Steve Siebold, author of “How Rich People Think,” interviewed more than a thousand millionaires over three decades to learn what led them to their success and wealth.
The answer was quite simple: Steve learned that it did not matter where they were born, or even to whom — what really made these millionaires stand out was their mentality, the drive to reach their goals while letting nothing hold them back. This mindset led these individuals to wealth.
Here are seven sentences you’ll never hear a successful person say because they contradict that unstoppable attitude.
1. “I hate my job”
See also: “I hate this company,” “My boss is an idiot”
One highly-admired quality in successful people is that they are never too opinionated about their job or workplace, irrespective of what they might be doing at any point in life. Even if they are in a situation which is uncomfortable or are surrounded with negative energy, they always avoid statements like the above. These negative elements do nothing but slow you down in your journey to achieve success. Instead of insulting a person, the job or the company, they seek to resolve issue with proper facts, tactics and complete neutrality.
2. “That’s not fair”
See also: “But I deserve it more”
Did your rival receive an award, appraisal, or recognition and you got nothing, while you’re twice as dedicated and productive? A mistake successful people never make is ranting and raving about the injustices of life. Unfairness is something you have to get used to. Success is not gifted to you — you have to work to earn it, and in the midst of doing that you need to show you deserve it.
Instead of whining and complaining, the secret of being able to move on is to be proactive about such issues and not reactive. Causing a scene will only affect you negatively. If you think you were much more deserving, prove it by making a strong case and presenting it.
3. “That’s not how it’s done here”
See also: “Because it has always been done this way”
Innovation is a key characteristic of successful people, whichever fields they might be in. You have to learn to embrace new things and not be afraid of doing away with conventions. Nobody ever achieved anything great without trying something new.
Take Steve Jobs for instance: Mr. Jobs was very passionate about innovation and such passion led to amazing creations like the iPhone and the iPad, devices that changed the world. Jobs once said, “Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower.”
Darlene Price, president of Well Said, Inc., shared some advice with Business Insider about keeping an open mind and innovating at work. “Even if you disagree with someone’s idea, say instead, ‘Wow, that’s an interesting idea. How would that work?'” Price said. “Or, ‘That’s a different approach. Let’s discuss the pros and cons.'” Don’t be obstinate and afraid to try new things — that’s not the way success is achieved!
4. “That’s not my job”
See also: “Not my problem,” “I don’t get paid enough”
There is one big rule which successful individuals follow: If you are truly successful, you will help others succeed as well. An example of this can be taken from Mr. Warren Buffett, who said, “Someone’s sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree a long time ago.”
Becoming a team player is what helps you get closer to success, and if you are not a team player success will never come to you. You might be rich, you might be successful, but the hard work and dedication of your employees and members of your business or organization are the real reason behind your success and your reputation.
5. “That’s impossible”
See also: “That can’t be done,” “I can’t do this”
Successful people know that boundaries and limits are only creations of the mind, and we ourselves give birth to such restrictions. Such statements needlessly hold you back from achieving greatness. Achievers do not complain about barriers or hurdles; instead they find a way around obstacles and use their creativity to challenge them.
Negative words like “can’t,” “won’t,” and “impossible” are never heard from the mouths of successful individuals. They know complaining will not help them, but actually doing something about the issue at hand will.
6. “I could have”
See also: “I should have,” “I might have been able to”
Regret is the worst feeling an individual can face, to keep revisiting times when they “could have” done something, the situation was out of hand or else they “would have,” now realizing that they “should have.” Successful individuals do not give themselves the opportunity to regret. This is due to two reasons: either they take the opportunity, no matter the odds, and turn the tables around; or they move on and find another opportunity that awaits. Regret is never going to serve anyone.
7. “I have no choice”
See also: “I have no other options,” “I’ve done all I can”
There are always options and opportunities at hand, and successful people know how to create their own way to these opportunities. Price pointed out, “To say we have no choice in the matter implies that we perceive ourselves as a victim, that we are less powerful than our environment.”
Josh Felber has been recognized multiple times in the National Who’s Who of Entrepreneurs, was a National Winner of the ATT and USA Today Investment Challenge, and has been featured on radio and television in the greater Akron area. Josh co-authored two-time best-selling books “Transform” with Brian Tracy, as well as “SuccessOnomics” with Steve Forbes.
Reader: Why do salaries depend on the passport you have?
I would like to raise a concern many Asian expats are facing and want to clear the doubts.I studied and graduated from the UK with high credentials, my English language skill is native fluent. I worked for a few multinational companies around the world and have immense soft skills and expertise.
So why is it that employers in UAE pay more money to an English- speaking passport holder who has less credentials, experience and soft skills?
We both work on the same level yet I have more responsibility workwise and train him/her as well, so this is unfair.
This salary band system offering more salary to English-speaking passport holders has to stop as it demotivates me.
Raffi, UAE
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