UAE labor laws are changing. In February 2022, the country’s labor laws were amended. The revised labor laws first announced in November will strengthen employee rights, all stakeholders believe. Here’s taking a look at the latest amendments to the UAE labor laws.
Revised UAE Labor Laws – The Key Points
Among the changes that were made, short, fixed-term contracts for most private-sector employees, employees’ rights to stay in the country for 180 days after leaving their jobs, and the introduction of shared jobs that can turn in favor of the students and the people returning to their workplace were the biggest ones. Another major change has been made in paid parental leave laws.
when it comes to changes in the working hours, if an employee works 40 hours per week according to their contract, they are now allowed to work these hours over three days as instructed by Abdul Rahman Al Awar, Minister of Human Resources and Emiratisation. Another ease has been given to the employees in the form of shared jobs where two people do the same job and divide their working hours on mutual agreement with their employees.
New Working Options
People are now given the choice to work for more than one employer for a given number of working hours and days. They can also add up more work for a short-term to finish a particular task. Working days and hours can be altered as per the amount of work an employee has and the employer’s needs. In addition to this, employers can permit people to choose the time they work.
The termination of countless contracts, anti-discrimination protections, and new working conditions like flexible working hours, part-time work, and extra leaves have been added to the contract.
Other Changes Made under the contract
A certain limit has been imposed on how employment contracts are made. This means that people on indefinite contracts will be shifted towards a fixed-term contract for a maximum of three years, after which the contract can be renewed. The probation period has been limited to at most six months where a two-week notice should be given to terminate them within this time. During the probation period, if any employee wants to change the job can do so by giving a month’s notice or 14 days in the case of them going abroad.
The new employer will have to compensate the old employer by paying out the visa cost and labor expenses incurred if the employee returns to the country within three months. Employers cannot make the employee leave the country after leaving their firm, and if they do so, their employment will be canceled. Rather, the employee will be given a maximum of 180 days to find a new job without exceeding their visa limit.
How Employees’ Rights Were Strengthened?
A new minimum wage has been set out to avoid discrimination of any sort like race, gender, ethnicity, and so on. Changes have been made under the harassment section, giving more rights to the employees. Employers cannot pressurize the employees to work more than two hours of overtime a day. In case that happens, employers need to 25 percent more than their regular hourly rates.
Employers cannot hold back the employees’ documents like passports and cannot ask for the recruitment fees from the workers. No legal fees have to be paid when filing labor cases against employers for compensation of less than Dh100, 000. Gratuity at the end of the service will either have to be paid in dirham or the currency chosen by the employee, as stated under the employment contract. All end-of-service dues will have to be paid within 14 days.
End of service benefits to be paid due to the employee’s family in the event of death as well as burial cost of the body. The notice period, at most of three months, can be served during the leave. The employment contract will cease without any notice for ten different reasons, including misuse of power.
Paid Leave
Paid leave will be permitted to the employees for three to five days maximum, depending on the case. For example, they are entitled to get five days of leave if a spouse dies, ten days of study leave to appear for an exam, and so on.
Children aged 15 and above can also work, six hours a day (lunch break included) after getting a written agreement from their parents with a medical fitness report. They should not be allowed to work after 7 pm and should not be given risky tasks.