UAE President Approves Federal Law to Regulate Working Conditions between Employers and Workers

Recently, the President of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) approved a Federal Law No. 10 of 2017.  The said law has 41 articles which aim to regulate the working relationships between the employers and the workers.

According to the Minister of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE) Saqr bin Ghobash Saeed Ghobash, the law likewise aims to protect both parties, the employer, and the worker.  It includes labor contracts, working hours, official leave, recruitment agencies and settlement of the dispute.

His Highness Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan issued a law which gives the domestic helpers the following benefits:

>> Payment of wages to be given not later than every 10th of the following month
>> 12 hours of rest per day with 8 hours of consecutive rest
>> One rest day every week with pay
>> Medical leave of 30 days per year
>> Round-trip ticket to home country every 2 years
>> Decent accommodation and free meals
>> Working clothes if required by the employer
>> Possession of important personal documents such as passport and IDs
>> On the other hand, the following are prohibited by the said law:

On the other hand, the following are prohibited by the said law:

>> A worker who is below 18 years old

>> Assigning tasks that are not included in the working contract

>> Exposing the worker to danger and physical harm

Meanwhile, here are other provisions included in the law:

>> The recruitment agency should give a copy of the job offer to the worker before leaving the country

>> The Labor Contract should be approved by MoHRE

>> The Tadbeer Centres will provide orientation, training and proper visas

>> The employer will be under 6 months probationary period. Within the period, the employer will decide either to continue the contract or terminate it.  The agency should shoulder the expenses to be incurred by the worker in going home

>> The employer should not deduct any amount from the worker’s salary except for damages done. Said amount should not be more than ¼ of the amount of salary

>> The employer has the right to terminate the contract if the service of the worker is not satisfactory

>> The worker must be treated decently and not exposed to violence

The said law will be implemented 2 months after it has been published in the official gazette, covering 19 support service jobs such as: cooks, domestic helpers, drivers, guardeners, guards, nannies, nurses, valet parkers, private trainers and sailors.

Federal Law No. 10 serves as a guide to domestic helpers, recruitment agencies andemployers.