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Middle East Edition
28th March 2025
 
THE HOT STORY
Domestic worker recruitment offices fined in UAE
In February, the UAE's Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE) took legal and administrative action against 22 domestic worker recruitment offices for 37 violations of the Federal Decree-Law Concerning Domestic Workers. The violations included failing to refund recruitment fees within the mandated two-week period. MoHRE warned that non-compliance could lead to severe penalties, including the cancellation of licenses for offending offices. The ministry emphasised the importance of adhering to regulations to protect the rights of all parties involved in the employment relationship. MoHRE also encouraged employers to report any violations and highlighted the risks of engaging with unlicensed recruitment offices, saying that "legal rights are assured only when transacting with licensed offices." A list of licensed offices is available on the ministry's official website.
TRAINING & DEVELOPMENT
Empowering Emirati talent through training
The Emirates Human Resources Development Council (EHRDC) has extended its partnership with Keolis MHI, the operator and maintainer of Dubai Metro and Dubai Tram, to provide high-quality training sessions for university students and Higher Colleges of Technology (HCT) students in Dubai. The initiative seeks to equip students with practical skills and empower them to enter the job market with confidence and competence. The collaboration aligns with EHRDC's commitment to empowering and qualifying Emirati talent while boosting their role in driving the country's digital economy.
A white-collar world without juniors?
The FT's Sarah O'Connor wonders whether the traditional transfer of skills between experts and learners can survive the age of artificial intelligence, and says professional business models may need to change.
TECHNOLOGY
UAE-made AI-powered robot can pick strawberries
The Mohamed Bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI) has developed a strawberry-picking robot that operates continuously, outperforming human workers who are limited to eight-hour shifts. Professor Dezhen Song highlighted the robot's advanced capabilities, saying: “The camera senses where [the fruit] is and allows the robot to figure out how to grasp it.” The robot's adaptive grasping mechanism ensures it can pick strawberries without damage, optimising yield and reducing waste. As the global agricultural sector faces rising labour costs and shortages, this robotic solution could significantly enhance efficiency and sustainability. MBZUAI is exploring commercialisation opportunities, with strong interest among farmers, hopefully indicating a promising future for agricultural robotics.
REMUNERATION
HSBC axes bankers before bonuses
HSBC has adopted a more stringent cost-cutting approach under new chief executive Georges Elhedery, who recently terminated investment bankers just before they were to receive their bonus figures. Many affected employees, particularly those at vice-president level and above, received no bonuses, which those close to the lender said was unusual for a bank known for "looking after [its] people."
HEALTH & WELLBEING
US to stop funding Gavi vaccine alliance
The Trump administration plans to significantly reduce funding for Gavi, the global vaccine partnership that has saved 19m children's lives since its inception. The decision, revealed in a USAID document, will see over 5,300 programmes cut, including support for malaria initiatives. Dr Ayoade Alakija, a former chief humanitarian coordinator in Nigeria, expressed her dismay, saying: “Millions of children are going to die unless somebody fills the gap.” The US has historically contributed around 13% of Gavi's budget. The terminated grant worth $2.6bn was intended to last until 2030. Gavi warned that the loss of US support could leave 75m children without routine vaccinations over the next five years, potentially leading to over 1.2m deaths. Gavi emphasised that US support is crucial for maintaining global health security.
INTERNATIONAL
Bill passes parliament to improve gender equality in Australia
Large businesses in Australia are set to implement significant changes to enhance workplace gender equality following the passage of a new bill. The revised Workplace Gender Equality Act mandates that organisations with over 500 employees establish three gender equality targets within three years. Employers can select from various priority areas, including addressing the gender pay gap and improving workforce composition. Approximately 2,000 employers will be affected, benefiting around 3.9m employees. Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA) chief executive Mary Wooldridge emphasised the importance of these targets, saying: “Targets are specific, time-bound and measurable objectives that set a benchmark for employers to work towards.” Failure to comply may result in losing Commonwealth contracts and public naming by the agency. The WGEA has reported a gender pay gap of $28,425 annually. 
Former Citibank employee in UK settles sex discrimination case
Maeve Bradley, a former assistant vice president at Citibank UK, has settled her sex discrimination case for £215,000 after alleging she was denied a promotion while on maternity leave. Supported by the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland, Bradley claimed that the individual covering her role was promoted during her absence, which she deemed unlawful. Despite raising a grievance, it was not upheld, leading her to pursue legal action. She said: “I felt compelled to challenge this decision, not just for myself, but to ensure that no other woman is penalised for taking time off to have a child.” Citibank has committed to reviewing its equal opportunities policies to prevent similar issues in the future. Geraldine McGahey, chief commissioner at the Equality Commission, emphasised that “issues around pregnancy and maternity in the workplace continue to be the most common complaints of sex discrimination.”
Stress levels soar among workers in Luxembourg
Olivier De Schutter, the UN special rapporteur on human rights and extreme poverty, has highlighted an alarming rise in workplace stress in Luxembourg, where half of surveyed employees have reported "high levels" of mental distress. He addressed what he described as a “burnout epidemic” in a lecture in Luxembourg this week. De Schutter, a professor of law at UCLouvain and Sciences Po Paris, noted "growing insecurity for employees, with increasing difficulty in reconciling their professional and personal lives." He focussed on two developments: increasing inequality and economic insecurity. "Inequality leads to comparisons with one's neighbours, anxiety, fear of social downgrading and a weakening of social ties . . . People are very uncertain about their professional future."
American firms flock to India
American companies are racing to set up more and bigger offshore campuses in India, the New York Times reports. “If I walk a half-kilometre, I see Google, Qualcomm, Nvidia, Visa, Samsung, and Amazon right here,” observes Apul Nahata of RapidAI, a Silicon Valley-headquartered medical technology company that uses artificial intelligence to interpret brain scans, about the situation in Bengaluru. Although tech has a particularly noticeable presence in the city, JPMorgan Chase has the biggest offices, with 55,000 workers spread across Bengaluru and also four other Indian cities. And even all-American retailers like Target and Lowe's have centres employing 4,000 to 5,000 Indians in Bengaluru.
 


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