The United Arab Emirates is the first destination that attracts Arab and international manpower, so it is no secret to anyone how much development it has reached in everything. This makes it one of the first countries in which every innovator and talented seeks to meet his golden opportunity and make it his first business destination.
In addition, the UAE labor law has received many innovations that suit the labor market greatly. In this article, we will provide you with all the details that you should know about UAE labor law.
UAE labor law
The United Arab Emirates is distinguished as one of the top 20 countries out of 118 countries globally, and the No. 1 in the Middle East in the field of benefiting from talent and expertise and working to develop it.
For this reason, you find the Emirates, and although it does not have a large area compared to the rest of the Arab world, it contains more than 200 nationalities that reside and work in it. And all of them come to work due to their richness in all kinds of scientific, urban, medical, technical, and many other developments, and the quality of huge job opportunities in them.
UAE labor law is also very advanced and has granted all rights that protect workers in the Emirates. As well as other laws that protect the rights of employers, the UAE labor law is considered one of the best labor laws in the Arab world.
The most important items in UAE labor law
The UAE Labor Law includes all aspects of labor relations between employers and employees, and contains 193 articles, covering all work-related issues.
The following are the most important provisions of the UAE labor law covered by the labor law there:
- Work contracts in UAE labor law: The following are the most important clauses related to labor contracts in UAE labor law:
- The calculation of periods and dates is according to the Gregorian calendar, since the Gregorian year is 365 days, and the month is 30 days. Unless the work contract stipulates otherwise.
- Work is a right for citizens of the United Arab Emirates, and no one else is allowed to work inside the country except under the conditions stipulated in this law
- In the absence of national workers, priority in employment shall be given to Arab workers and then to other nationalities.
- Establishing a section in the Labor Department specialized in creating job opportunities for citizens and assisting employers in finding workers.
- Non-national workers are employed after approval by the Labor Department and obtaining a work permit. This is in accordance with certain conditions, which are: that the worker has a professional qualification or an academic qualification needed by the country and that the worker has legally entered the Emirates.
- Juveniles under the age of fifteen may not be employed.
- Juveniles may not be employed in jobs that are dangerous or tiring and harmful to their health.
- Women are paid the same wages as men if they do the same type of work.
- It is not permissible for women to work at night from ten in the evening until seven in the morning.
- The worker may be appointed for a period not exceeding 6 months and put on probation.
- The employer may dispense with the service of the worker on probation without warning, compensation or end-of-service gratuity.
- The same worker may not be appointed more than once on probation with the same employer.
- The contract can be for a fixed or indefinite period, and the specified contract may not be exceeded for more than 4 years.
- Employment contracts can be renewed based on the agreement of the two parties once or more for a similar period (4 years at most) or less.
- Working hours in UAE labor law: The following are the most important items related to working hours in UAE labor law:
- The maximum working hours are 8 hours per day or 48 hours per week. It may also be extended to 9 hours a day by a decision of the Minister of Labor in the case of commercial businesses, restaurants, hotels, guarding, and other similar professions.
- During the holy month of Ramadan, normal working hours are reduced by two hours only. That is, it becomes 6 hours a day instead of 8 hours a day.
- In the event that the working hours are required to exceed the normal hours, the period of the increase shall be considered as a normal working hour plus an increase of not less than 25% of the wage.
- Holidays in UAE labor law: The following are the most important items related to the weekly and official holidays for workers in UAE labor law
- As for the weekly and official holidays in the UAE labor law, they are as follows:
- The weekly rest day is Friday for all workers except daily wage workers. In the event that the circumstances require the worker to work on the day of rest, he must be compensated with another day of rest. Or that the basic salary is paid from the normal working hours plus 50% of the wage.
- The official holidays that workers are entitled to are one day for each of these occasions:
- Islamic New Year.
- New Year’s Eve.
- Israa and meraaj.
- Prophet’s Birthday.
- UAE National Day.
- Workers are entitled to two days of official leave on the occasions of Eid al-Fitr and three days for Eid al-Adha and the Day of Arafah.