The UAE and wider GCC remain in a “business as usual” position, with no formal directives requiring evacuation or suspension of business operations. However, the position is nuanced in practice, with foreign government travel advisories, employee concerns and sector-specific pressures continuing to influence decision-making. Many organisations have now moved beyond initial crisis response and are focusing on medium-term planning, including workforce distribution, cost management and operational resilience, particularly in sectors more directly impacted by reduced travel or market uncertainty.
Remote working remains a key tool for maintaining business continuity, including in some cases cross-border remote working arrangements. However, employers are increasingly moving towards more structured approaches, introducing formal approval processes, time limits and clearer expectations around return to the contractual place of work.
These arrangements give rise to a number of risks, particularly where employees are working abroad for extended periods. These include tax exposure (including potential permanent establishment risk), payroll and social security obligations, as well as practical challenges where employees are reluctant to return. Employers should therefore ensure that such arrangements are carefully managed, documented and clearly positioned as temporary. If an employee works from a country where the employer has another...
PICKENS, S.C. — Pickens city councilmembers determined Mayor Isaiah Scipio acted out of procedure following a tense executive session on Tuesday, while leaving ongoing disputes concerning SLED and...