Newsletter Archives - Page 131 of 247 - LexisNexis Middle East

Qatar: Compulsory Health Insurance Clarification Issued

20/05/202220/05/2022
by Benjamin Filaferro

Gulf Times, 19 May 2022: Qatar’s Government Communication Office has issued a compulsory health insurance clarification.

They have said the system covers non-Qatari workers in the public and private sectors.

This includes manual workers, craftsmen, domestic workers and visitors.

They issued the clarification following the approval of a draft Decision by the Cabinet on healthcare services regulation in the country.

The draft includes provisions related to the rights and obligations of healthcare services beneficiaries, insurance company and healthcare service provider obligations and supervision and control of healthcare services.

They added citizens will receive free-of-charge healthcare services at Government health facilities and health insurance will be mandatory to ensure the provision of basic healthcare services to expatriates and visitors.

They went on to say basic healthcare services include preventive, curative and rehabilitative services, as well as other services set out in the Implementing Regulations.

They said employers and recruiters will pay the premium to cover the basic services of their employees or recruits. In addition to basic services, employers and recruiters may also request additional services subject to additional costs.

Basic healthcare services for visitors include emergency and accident treatment services.

Under the regime, they said insurance companies must provide employers or recruiters with health insurance cards or an equivalent as well as offer hospitals and clinics tailored to them.

Former employees have to be removed from the insurance policy and employers and recruiters must follow the relevant procedures to notify the insurance company after the termination of the employment or recruitment contract.

If an employee or recruit fails to transfer their sponsorship under a new employer on the termination of their contract, the insurance coverage may be extended until the policy or the legally permitted period of residence expires, whichever comes first.

The obligations of employers and recruiters towards their employees and recruits begins from the date of their entry into the country or from the date of a worker’s sponsorship transfer under a new employer or recruiter.

These include contracting with one of the registered insurance companies to cover all employees and recruits and annually renewing the contract within the prescribed deadlines.

It also includes providing healthcare services to all workers and recruits during the period before residence is granted or transferred.

In addition, it includes providing the contracted insurance company with all the necessary information to register all beneficiaries. Also reported in Al-Sharq on 18 May 2022. For full story, click here and here.

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Saudi Arabia: Two-day Weekend Could be Introduced

20/05/202220/05/2022
by Benjamin Filaferro

Saudi Gazette, 16 May 2022: Saudi Arabia’s Human Resources and Social Development Ministry is understood to be considering introducing a two-day weekend for private sector employees.

They are considering amending the Labour Law’s provisions on working hours to allow this.

If approved, a two-day weekend would be introduced.

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Saudi Arabia: Regulatory Status of NEOM Clarified

18/05/202218/05/2022
by Benjamin Filaferro

Arab News, 16 May 2022: NEOM’s Chief Investment Officer has clarified the regulatory status of NEOM.

They issued the clarification following comments by NEOM’s Head of Tourism at the Arabian Travel Market.

They suggested residents in NEOM will have a special status.

The Investment Officer clarified the $500-billion future city will have its own regulations based on global best practices which will allow businesses to grow and develop.

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Bahrain: Penal Code Amendment Approved

18/05/202218/05/2022
by Benjamin Filaferro

Alayam, 15 May 2022: Bahrain’s King has ratified and promulgated Bahrain Law No. 18/2022 amending Article 231 of Bahrain Decree-Law No. 15/1976 (the Penal Code).

Under Article 1, Article 231 will be amended to read:

‘Anyone, while practicing a medical or health profession, examines a dead person or provides first aid to a severely injured person and finds signs indicating that his death or injury is a felony or misdemeanour, or other circumstances exist that call for suspicion of its cause, and he does not inform the public authority of that, will be liable to imprisonment and a fine or to one of these two penalties.’

The Prime Minister and the relevant ministers will be responsible for implementing it. It will be published in the Official Gazette and come into force the day after it is published. For full story, click here.

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UAE: Controls for Collecting Personal Information of Customers Clarified

18/05/202218/05/2022
by Benjamin Filaferro

Alroeya, 12 May 2022: The UAE’s Central Bank has clarified the controls for collecting personal information by entities which practice marketing, issuing and managing insurance policies.

The Central Bank has issued a Circular to this effect.

They have issued it to all insurance companies, insurance agents and brokers and banks which market insurance policies operating in the country.

It includes guidelines on the personal information which may be collected for insurance policies.

All insurance companies, insurance agents, brokers and banks which market insurance policies must comply with the guidelines when collecting personal information through application forms, service offers, claim forms, or any other type of document. provided by the customer, whether in writing, electronically, or through call centres.

The Bank clarified the instructions apply to collecting information related to all types of insurance and Takaful products, including life insurance, fundraising, health insurance, property and liability insurance and any other type or category of insurance products.

The personal information collected by the parties involved in the marketing, issuing and/or management of insurance policies should be limited to specific, explicit and legitimate purposes.

The aim is to ensure compliance with the regulatory and legal requirements and provide adequate advice to recommend appropriate insurance products when necessary.

For full story, click here.

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Oman: Flexible Working System Clarified

18/05/202218/05/2022
by Benjamin Filaferro

Atheer, 12 May 2022: Oman’s Labour Ministry has issued Oman Circular No. 5/2022 regarding the flexible working system in units in the State’s administrative apparatus which apply the Civil Service Law and its Implementing Regulations.

The Circular has been issued to implement the Sultan’s directives to apply the flexible working system in these units.

Employees must work seven consecutive hours a day.

The working hours will be between 7.30am and 4.30pm, provided they are calculated from the time they come to work until they leave.

Units which provide direct services to the public will announce the working hours allocated for providing these services, so the total of those hours will not be less than seven hours a day.

Each unit, together with its employees, manages and organises their daily working hours in a way which does not affect the completion of their work and tasks and the provision of services to the public and beneficiaries, or their connection to the dates of meetings, seminars, workshops or training programmes scheduled for them.

The flexible working system will be implemented from the day after the Circular was issued. For full story, click here.

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UAE: Penalties for Abstaining from Submitting Documents to Judiciary Clarified

13/05/202218/05/2022
by Benjamin Filaferro

Al Bayan, 10 May 2022: The UAE’s Public Prosecution has clarified the penalties which will be imposed on those who don’t submit documents to the judiciary.

Under Article 317 of Federal Decree-Law No. 31/2021, anyone who is assigned by law to submit a document or anything else which is useful in proving a fact submitted to the judiciary and don’t do so, will be jailed for up to six months.

Alternatively they may be fined up to 5,000 AED.

For full story, click here.

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Abu Dhabi: Sick Leave Electronic System Updated

11/05/202211/05/2022
by Benjamin Filaferro

Alroeya, 10 May 2022: Abu Dhabi’s Health Department has issued Abu Dhabi Circular No. 104/2022 on updates to the electronic sick leave system.

It has been addressed to all health facilities and licensed doctors.

The Circular states it has been decided to update the electronic sick leave system in the Department, so all doctors have to issue sick leave using the electronic sick leave system on the Tamm platform only.

The Circular was issued following a Circular from the Human Resources Authority, Abu Dhabi Circular No. 6/2022. This Circular was issued on 27 April 2022.

The Circular requires all doctors not to issue sick leave to Abu Dhabi Government employees for one to two days, as the closed electronic sick leave system cannot be accessed for this type of leave.

The Department has also issued Abu Dhabi Circular No. 103/2022 on temporary licenses for health facilities, related to temporary licenses issued to health facilities coinciding with the Covid-19 pandemic to practice medical activities. This includes field hospitals, temporary tents and kiosks.

The temporary license issued by the Department of Health is valid for up to six months. This period is calculated from the issued date. For full story, click here.

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Want to learn more about Lexis® Middle East? Visit, https://www.lexis.ae/lexis-middle-east-law/.

UAE: Penalties for Providing Illegal Content Online Clarified

11/05/202211/05/2022
by Benjamin Filaferro

Alroeya, 7 May 2022: The UAE’s Public Prosecution has clarified the penalties for providing illegal content and refraining from removing it.

Under Article 53 of Federal Decree-Law No. 34/2021, anyone who uses a website or an electronic account will be fined between 300,000 and 10,000,000 AED, if they store or publish illegal content and do not take the initiative to remove it or prevent access to this content within the period specified in the orders issued to them and the Decree-Law.

The same penalties will be imposed on those who refuse to comply, in whole or in part, with one of the orders issued to them under the Decree-Law, without an acceptable excuse.

For full story, click here.

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LexisNexis Middle East and D&C Legal Services hosted insightful webinars exploring trending legal topics within the Middle East and GCC

11/05/202211/05/2022
by Benjamin Filaferro

LexisNexis Middle East, in collaboration with D&C Legal Services, hosted three insightful webinars exploring trending legal topics within the Middle East and GCC.

The first webinar on ‘Growing and Protecting Your Brand in the Middle East and GCC’ took place on 28 September 2021 and provided attendees guidance on growing their brand and protecting it from improper use. Our expert speaker, Aurore Deeb, Senior Associate at D&C Legal Services, considered topics such as opposition, the registration process of trademarks, legal actions for infringement, unfair competition, and more.

The second webinar on ‘Intellectual Property, Social Media, and Google Ads’ took place on 19 December 2021. Our expert speaker, Rana Moustafa, Associate at D&C Legal Services, provided insights into the interconnection between social media and intellectual property. Topics such as digital policies on social media platforms, Google Ads, keywords advertising, were discussed.

The final webinar on ‘Global Legal Protection of Geographical Indications (GI)’ took place on 7 March 2022. During this webinar, GI and its international legal protection was discussed. Our expert speaker, Nasser Messaike, Associate at D&C Legal Services, explored GI in its entirety, including its security, enforcement, and more.

LexisNexis Middle East thanks D&C Legal Services for their constant support and partnership, making these webinars a success from the start.

Thank you for joining us while we continue to host these informative training and events. Visit www.lexis.ae/training-events/ to keep an eye out for future courses which are of interest to you.