Saturday blues

         Saturdays here in the UAE are like the dreaded Mondays in any Non- Muslim populated country. Private companies have to drag their employees back to the office when the rest of the emirates are still zonked from Friday night life or just too immobile to work. Employees of government owned companies are privileged to stay in bed on Saturday mornings and get paid for that. This scheme has become a UAE law since Sept 2006 as mandated by Shaikh Nahayan. Hearing this piece of news are like music to the expat ears but still not as good as it sounds since the privately - owned companies have the prerogative to demand a six - working day qouta from the employees. This is naturally unfavourable to the employee since we need the 2 day - holidays as normal people enjoy just like in the Philippines. Besides, coming to work on Saturdays is a terribly sleep -inducer, mind-tranquilizer, and a frustration level escalator ergo EQ taxing activity. A very valid example how illogical working on a Saturday will be the Incompatibility of Working Days compared to offices in Asia, US and in EU. If you try to transact business on Saturdays (and Sundays maybe) you’ ll have to wait for Monday for you to get a reply from the other company you are transcating with. One Indonesian man, whom we used to call “UNCLE” who worked in our recruitment department says its fuitle and a waste of time coming to the office when his the manpower agencies in Jakarta he was transacting with are not in the office. And he gets terribly bored and impatient since he can not accomplish anything due to the schedule. As an expat who strives to earn for a living, we are left with the choices of working six days or no work at all. And also we can always look for a company who will let you off on Fridays and Saturdays. As Indians used to say, Whartt to do??