Taking up a new position in the UAE can be both exhilarating and daunting. Whether you’re coming to live here for the first time or are beginning a new job after many years in the country, you’ll discover that workplace regulations can vary significantly from what you might be accustomed to back home. These regulations control your contract, your pay, your leave, and what occurs if you get things wrong. Without them, you may miss out on benefits you are due or find it difficult to defend yourself when things go wrong.
That is where UAE employment law comes in. It is your bible and your protection. It establishes understandable rights and duties for employers and employees alike so that everyone is on the same page. In this blog, we’re going to discuss the most key protections you need to know prior to signing a contract or beginning employment so that you can enter your new employment with confidence and clarity.
What “Employment law in the UAE” Means for You
UAE employment law is the collection of the regulations under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 and supporting regulations by the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE). Such regulations cover a majority of employment positions in the nation, with the exception of certain free zones such as the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) and Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM), which operate under independent employment laws.
The law covers everything from how contracts are formed to how disputes are resolved. It’s designed to balance the rights of employers and employees, ensure fair treatment, and maintain workplace harmony.
Understanding Your Contract
Before being employed, you will be signing a written employment contract endorsed by MOHRE. According to current regulations, all contracts are fixed term and may be for a maximum period of three years. If the term expires, both parties may agree to extend it. In case you keep working without an extension, the same conditions will hold until either party terminates it with fair notice.
Your agreement must set out your salary, title, fringe benefits, working hours, leave entitlements, and conditions of dismissal. Careful reading of it and comprehension of all its aspects are essential as it then becomes the legal guide for any dispute in the future.
The Probation Period
The initial six months at a job are typically a period of probation. Throughout this period, either party can terminate the employment upon notice 14 days if the employer and 30 days if you are quitting to move to another employer in the UAE. If you’re exiting the country entirely, you should provide 14 days’ notice. This timeframe enables both parties to consider whether the setup is suitable, but you are still under the protection of some rights like being timely paid.
Your Right to Payment on Time
You have to be paid in the agreed-on money, on the specified date of your contract, and without illegal deductions. The UAE Wage Protection System (WPS) sees to it that wages are electronically paid via authorized banks, leaving a record MOHRE can verify. Employers who do not pay on time may be fined, have their business restricted, or even have new work permits suspended.
Paid and Unpaid Leave
The law offers a number of types of leave, and each has certain regulations:
Annual leave: One year of service earns you 30 days of paid leave each year. If you have worked between six months and one year, you are awarded two days of leave per month.
Sick leave: You can take a maximum of 90 days in a year after probation: the first 15 are on full pay, the second 30 on half pay, and the last 45 without pay.
Maternity leave: Women employees are entitled to 60 days (45 on full pay, 15 on half pay), with potential additional unpaid leave if necessary due to health. New mothers also receive daily breaks for breastfeeding for six months after going back to work.
Paternity leave: Male employees receive five paid days during the first six months following the birth of a child.
Bereavement leave: Five paid days for the loss of a spouse, three for the loss of a parent, child, brother or sister, grandparent, or grandchild.
Study leave: You can take up to 10 days a year to sit for exams, if you have served for more than two years.
Workplace Safety and Health
The employers have the obligation by law to ensure a safe working condition. This involves appropriate training, safe tools, and protective devices to prevent accidents and disease. For outdoor workers, the yearly midday break regulation forbids working in sunlight from June 15 to September 15 between 12:30 pm and 3 pm.
If you become injured at work, your employer has to pay for medical expenses and your full salary for a maximum of six months, with half pay for the next six months if necessary. For permanent disability or if you die, compensation is determined on your basic salary and the severity of injury, with defined minimum and maximum payments as per law.
Protection from Discrimination and Harassment
The law prohibits discrimination against anyone based on gender, race, religion, nationality, or disability. It also prohibits harassment, bullying, or any kind of verbal, physical, or psychological abuse at the workplace. The employers are required to investigate complaints and take action, and the employees have the right to report breaches to MOHRE.
End of Service Benefits
If you have served for at least one continuous year, you are eligible for an end of service gratuity. This is computed as 21 days’ basic salary for every of the first five years and 30 days’ basic salary for each subsequent year up to a limit of two years’ total wages.
Some employers have introduced the option of an alternative savings scheme where money is invested during your employment with you potentially receiving more when you exit.
Termination of the Employment Relationship
Termination of a job has to comply with notice periods in the law typically ranging between 30 and 90 days depending on the contract. Termination with immediate effect without notice is only possible in exceptional cases, i.e., serious misconduct as specified under Article 44 of the law.
If you feel that you’ve been sacked unjustly referred to as arbitrary dismissal you can complain to MOHRE. If established, the court may order payment of up to three months’ salary on top of your other rights.
Resolving Disputes
If there is a workplace conflict, MOHRE provides mediation services. You can complain in writing on their website, through their app, or personally. In case mediation doesn’t work, MOHRE refers the case to the labour court. In claims up to AED 50,000, the court tries to settle within 30 working days.
You have two years from the time an entitlement was due to submit a claim, up from the earlier one year. This provides workers with extra time to respond if there is a delay or a complicated matter.
Last Thoughts
Understanding employment law in the UAE is knowing your rights from the day you sign your contract until you quit your job. It makes sure you receive your salary on time, get your rightful leave, work under secure conditions, and receive a fair grievance mechanism.
Should you ever require expert advice, Davidson & Co is one of the UAE’s top law firms with deep knowledge and experience in advising on employment law. Their team advises on reviews of contracts for employees and employers, resolving disputes, wrongful dismissal claims, and MOHRE proceedings making it easy for you to understand complex issues with confidence and clarity.
