The Federal Authority for Human Resources (FAHR) in the United Arab Emirates has launched the third phase of its freelance leave initiative targeting Emirati federal employees.

This program, introduced two years ago as part of the UAE's Fifty Projects, is marked as a global first, aiming to enable federal employees to participate in the private labor market by establishing and managing their entrepreneurial projects.

As of February, the FAHR has opened nominations for federal employees interested in applying for freelancing leave.

The application process will operate according to established protocols, with employees encouraged to submit their requests in the first week of February.

Member organizations within the federal structure are tasked with approving and forwarding the nominations to the FAHR by the end of the second week of the month.

Following this, an independent technical team will review the nominations and conduct interviews before announcing the approved candidates.

In a directive, the FAHR urged federal ministries and authorities to motivate their Emirati staff to seize this unique opportunity, emphasizing its commitment to support the entities involved in facilitating this initiative, which aligns with the vision of the UAE leadership.

Recently, the FAHR conducted two virtual workshops for federal employees, attended by around 300 participants, to elucidate the nuances of the initiative.

The nomination process for the leave is fully automated and executed via the federal human resources management information system, ‘Bayani’.

This announcement follows the conclusion of the second phase of the freelance leave initiative, which previously allowed participating federal employees to engage meaningfully in the private sector.

This phase provided opportunities for beneficiaries to create or manage their businesses in a vital sector that contributes to the nation’s economic growth.

Faisal bin Batty Al-Muhairi, Acting Director-General of the FAHR, stated that the second batch of freelance leave has ended after a successful year, during which substantial support was extended to participants through strategic partnerships across the UAE to enhance their engagement in the private sector.

The freelance leave aims to foster an entrepreneurial mindset among Emirati employees, allowing government staff to establish or manage their economic projects for a duration of one year, with full pay.

Al-Muhairi noted that two rounds of this initiative had already benefited various employees, many of whom successfully established their businesses or devoted themselves to enhancing existing ones through training, follow-up, and guidance provided by initiative partners and incubators across the state.

Over the course of the initiative, beneficiaries from both previous batches have completed a full year, achieving significant success during their leave, which comes with structured oversight designed to enable as many Emirati federal employees as possible to take advantage of this exceptional opportunity.

The FAHR has established an advisory council for the freelance leave initiative, represented by consulting firms, specialized entities, and partnering business incubators.

A specialized team has also been created to support federal ministries and agencies in assisting employees utilizing freelance leave, monitoring ongoing projects, and coordinating with their work departments.

The FAHR has extended its gratitude to the partnering business incubators for their role in promoting the initiative, which include Khalifa Fund for Enterprise Development, Fujairah Small Projects Support Center, Saud bin Saqr Foundation for Youth Projects Development, and several other governmental and private organizations.

Additionally, the FAHR has launched three new initiatives aimed at supporting the freelance leave project, including a mentorship program for entrepreneurs to aid in achieving their goals and overcoming challenges, a developmental agenda featuring various training programs for small business management, and a forthcoming interactive platform aimed at connecting beneficiaries of the leave across different phases for knowledge sharing and collaboration.

Thus far, the FAHR has held 12 virtual workshops directed at federal employees, attended by approximately 2,700 staff members.

The nomination process remains automated through the same human resources management system.

A joint session was also organized for entrepreneurs from both previous phases to share experiences regarding their economic activities and explore potential collaborations to enhance entrepreneurial success and promote awareness among federal employees about the initiative.

All Emirati civil servants employed in federal entities are eligible for the freelance leave, excluding those working for federally owned companies, temporary contract staff, and part-time employees.

The freelance leave, granted to employees for establishing or managing their economic projects, lasts one year and is subject to the agency's discretion based on established conditions and operational needs.

Employees may combine freelance leave with unpaid leave or any accrued annual leave before commencing the freelance leave.

They will continue to be subject to federal human resources law and its regulations during this period.