Federal DecreeLaw No 33 of 2021
Federal DecreeLaw No 33 of 2021
Federal DecreeLaw No 33 of 2021
Employment Relationship
Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan
President of the United Arab Emirates State
- Federal Law No. (1) of 1972 regarding the Competencies of Ministries and Powers of
Ministers and its amendments;
- Federal Law No. (6) of 1973 regarding the Entry and Residence of Foreigners and its
amendments;
- Federal Law No. (8) of 1980 regarding the Regulation of Employment Relationships
and its amendments;
- Federal Law No. (3) of 1987 promulgating the Penal Code and its amendments;
- Federal Law No. (10) of 1992 promulgating the Law of Evidence in Civil Transactions
and its amendments;
- Federal Law No. (11) of 1992 regarding Civil Procedures and its amendments;
- Federal Law No. (35) of 1992 promulgating the Criminal Procedural Law and its
amendments;
- Federal Law No. (7) of 1999 promulgating the Pensions and Social Security Law and its
amendments;
- Federal Law No. (29) of 2006 regarding the Rights of People with Disabilities and its
amendments;
- Federal Decree-Law No. (2) of 2015 regarding Combating Discrimination and Hatred and
its amendments;
- Federal Law No. (13) of 2016 regarding Judicial Fees before the Federal Courts;
- Federal Law No. (14) of 2016 regarding Violations and Administrative Penalties in the
Federal Government;
- Federal Law No. (13) of 2020 regarding Public Health; and Based on the proposal of the
Minister of HumanResources and Emiratisation, and the approval of the Cabinet;
1. Ensuring the efficiency of the UAE labour market by supporting the attraction and
retention of future skills and talents and providing an attractive business environment
for employers, with the aim of enabling both parties to contribute to the achievement of
the UAE’s national development goals;
2. Regulating employment relationships and defining the rights and obligations of the parties
to this legal relationship in a balanced manner;
3. Enhancing the flexibility and sustainability of the UAE labour market through ensuring the
protection of the parties to the employment relationship, its developments and the
exceptional circumstances that they may face and would thereby affect such relationship;
4. Improving and developing the capabilities and skills of workers in the private sector, in a
manner that enhances the efficiency and productivity of the workforce in the UAE
labour market; and
5. Providing protection to both parties to the employment relationship and enabling them
to obtain their rights within the framework hereof.
Article (3)
Scope of Application
1. The provisions hereof shall apply to all establishments, employers and workers in the UAE
private sector.
2. The following categories shall not be subject to the provisions hereof:
a. Employees of federal and local government entities;
b. Employees of the armed forces, police and security; and
c. Domestic workers.
3. The Cabinet may, upon the Minister’s proposal, exclude any category from being subject to
all or some of the provisions hereof and specify the legislation to be applied thereto.
Article (5)
Employment of Juveniles
1. It is not permissible to employ any person under the age of fifteen years old.
2. The following conditions are required to employ a juvenile:
a. Written consent of the juvenile’s guardian or custodian.
b. A certificate issued by the medical entity proving the health fitness of the juvenile to
undertake the required work.
c. The actual working hours shall not exceed six hours per day and shall include one break or
more, which shall not be less than one hour in total, and this period(s) shall be defined, so
that the juvenile does not work for more than four consecutive hours.
d. The juvenile shall not work between 7 pm and 7 am.
e. The juvenile shall not be employed in dangerous or arduous works, or in works which, by
their nature, are likely to harm his health, safety or morals and which are defined by a
resolution of the Minister in coordination with the concerned authorities.
f. The juvenile shall not work overtime, be kept in the workplace after the prescribed hours
or work on weekends or official holidays.
g. The Implementing Regulation hereof shall specify the juvenile employment, the
procedures to which the employer is committed, the works in which the employment of
the juvenile is prohibited and the rules for excluding the entities that aim at training and
qualifying juveniles professionally, including charitable, educational and training
institutions, from someprovisions of this Article.
Article (7)
Work Patterns
1. The patterns of work to be contracted upon shall be in line with the following:
a. Full time; which means working for one employer for full daily working hours throughout
the working days.
b. Part time; which means working for one or more employers for a specified number of
working hours or days designated for work.
c. Temporary work; which is work whose execution requires a specific period, or is based on
a certain task and is ended by its completion.
d. Flexible work; which is work whose hours or working days change according to the work
load, as well as the economic and operational variables of the employer. The worker may
work for the employer at variable times according to the work conditions and
requirements.
e. Any other patterns of work specified by the Implementing Regulation hereof.
2. The Implementing Regulation specifies the conditions and rules of the work patterns and
the obligations of both the worker and employer, according to each pattern.
Article (9)
Probationary Period
1. The employer may appoint the worker under a probationary period not exceeding (6) six
months from the date of commencement of work. The employer may terminate the
service of the worker during this period after notifying the latter of the same in writing
fourteen (14) days at least before the date specified for the termination of service.
2. It is not permissible to appoint a worker under probationary period more than once at
one employer, and if the worker successfully passes the probationary period and continues
to work, the contract shall become validaccording to the agreed terms. This period shall be
counted within the term of service.
3. If the worker wishes to move during the probationary period, to work for another
employer in the State, he shall notify the original employer of the same in writing within
not less than one month from the date of his wish to terminate the contract. Then, the
new employer shall compensate the original employer for the costs of recruitment or
contracting with the worker, unless otherwise agreed upon.
Article (10)
Non-competition Clause
1. If the work assigned to the worker allows him to gain knowledge of the employer’s clients
or have access to its work secrets, the employer may require that the worker under the
employment contract shall not, after the expiry of the contract, compete with the
employer or be engaged in any competing project in the same sector, provided that
the requirement is specified, in terms of time, place and type of work, to the extent
necessary to protect the legitimate business interests. The non-competition period
shall not be more than two years from the expiry date of the contract.
2. This requirement shall be nullified if the employer terminates the employment contract in
violation of the provisions hereof.
3. The claim filed by the employer for the worker’s violation of the provisions of this Article
shall not be heard if one year has passed from the date of discovering the violation.
4. The Implementing Regulation hereof defines the provisions regulating this Article, skill
levels or occupations that may be excluded from the provision of Clause (1) of this Article,
in accordance with the conditions and rules specified by the Regulation.
Article (12)
Assigning the Worker to Another Job
1. The worker may not be assigned to undertake work that is fundamentally different from
the work agreed upon in the employment contract, unless it is necessary in order to
prevent the occurrence of an accident or to rectify theresulting damages, provided that
the assignment is temporary and in accordance with what is specified in the Implementing
Regulation hereof.
2. In cases other than those mentioned in Clause (1) of this Article, the employer may assign
the worker to undertake work not agreed upon in the employment contract, provided
that the worker provides his consent in writing.
3. If the worker has to change his place of residence in order to be able to undertake work
that is different from the work agreed upon in the employment contract, the employer
shall bear all the financial costs arising therefrom, including the costs of the worker’s
relocation and residence.
Article (13)
Employer’s Obligations
The employer shall comply with the following:
1. Maintaining the workers’ files and records as per the conditions, rules and procedures
issued by a resolution of the Ministry, provided that the period of keeping the
worker’s file shall not be less than two years after the date of the worker’s end of service;
2. Not withholding the official documents of the worker or forcing him to leave the State at
the end of the employment relationship;
3. Providing rules regarding the organisation of work, such as the regulation of work
instructions, penalties, promotions, rewards and other by-laws and regulations,
according to the rules specified by the Implementing Regulation hereof;
4. Providing the worker with proper accommodation licensedby the competent authorities
in accordance with the rules, conditions and standards in force in the State, or paying to
him an accommodation allowance in cash or including it in the wage;
Article (14)
Prohibition of Forced Labour and Other Prohibitions
1. The employer shall not use any means that would oblige or force the worker, threaten him
with any penalty to work for it, or compel him to undertake work or provide a service
against his will.
2. Sexual harassment, bullying or any verbal, physical or psychological violence committed
against the worker by the employer, his superiors at work, colleagues or the persons who
work with him, are prohibited.
Article (16)
Worker’s Obligations
The worker shall abide by the following:
1. Performing the work by himself according to the direction and supervision of the
employer or anyone acting on its behalf, and in accordance with the contract, and not
outsourcing the work to any worker or any other person;
2. Being committed to good behaviour and morals while undertaking work and adhering to
honesty and professional integrity;
3. Preserving the production means and work tools in his custody and maintaining them by
taking the necessary actions to preserve them in the places designated for
them;
4. Keeping the confidentiality of information and data to which he has access by virtue of his
work, not disclosing the work’s secrets and returning the items in his custody to the
employer at the end of his service;
5. Not keeping personally any original papers or hard or soft copies of documents related to
work secrets without the permission of the employer or its representative;
6. Implementing the occupational safety and health instructions prescribed at the
establishment as per the legislation in force or work regulations and instructions;
7. Working during the approved working days and working hours specified in the
employment contract, communicating and responding in an efficient manner to complete
the duties assigned to him efficiently;
8. Continuously and diligently working to develop his functional and professional skills and
enhancing the performance level he provides for the employer;
9. Not working for others, in violation of the provisions hereof and other applicable
legislation in this regard;
Article (17)
Working Hours
1. The maximum normal working hours for workers shall be (8) eight hours per day or (48)
forty-eight hours per week.
2. The Cabinet may, based on the Minister’s proposal and in coordination with the
concerned authorities, increase or reduce the daily working hours for some economic
sectors or some categories of workers, as well as the working hours, break and hours
during which it is prohibited to work for certain categories of workers, according to the
workers’ classification specified in the Implementing Regulation hereof.
3. The periods spent by the worker during the commute between his place of residence and
the workplace, shall not be counted in the working hours, except for some categories of
workers in accordance with the rules defined in the Implementing Regulation hereof.
4. The Implementing Regulation hereof specifies the working hours in Ramadan.
5. If the worker works based on a pattern other than the full- time pattern, the original
employer, or any other employer for which the worker works in accordance with the
provisions hereof, may not ask the worker to work for it more than the hours agreed upon
in the employment contract, except with the written consent of the worker.
6. If the worker wishes to perform his work remotely, whether inside or outside the State,
with the approval of the employer, the latter may require specific working hours.
Article (18)
Consecutive Working Hours
The worker may not work for more than (5) five consecutive hours without a break or breaks
of not less than an hour in total, provided that these periods are not included in the working
hours. Working hours and breaks shall be arranged at an establishment working according to
shifts or for some job categories, as per their nature, such as field jobs, and according to the
workers’ classification specified in the Implementing Regulation hereof.
Article (20)
Excluded Workers Categories
The Implementing Regulation hereof defines the categories of workers who may be excluded
from the provisions stipulated regarding the working hours contained herein.
Article (21)
Weekend
The worker shall be granted a paid weekend of not less than one day, according to the
employment contract or the work regulation. It is permissible under a resolution of the
Cabinet to increase the weekend day stipulated in this Article.
Article (23)
Method of Calculating the Wages of Workers on Piecework Basis
The daily wage of workers who receive their wages on piecework basis shall be calculated
according to the average amount the worker received for the actual working days during the
(6) six months preceding the request or claim regarding any issue related to the wage..
Article (24)
Transferring the Worker with a Monthly Wage to other Categories
A worker with a monthly wage may be transferred to the category of day workers or workers
hired for a weekly wage, per piecework or hour, if the worker agrees on the same in writing,
without prejudice to the rights acquired by the worker during the period he worked on a
monthly wage.
Article (25)
Cases of Deduction or Withhold from the Worker’s Wage
1. No amount may be deducted or withheld from the worker’s wage except in the following
cases:
a. The redemption of loans granted to the worker, within the maximum limit of the monthly
deduction percentage from the worker’s wage stipulated in this Article, after obtaining the
worker’s written consent and without any interest;
b. The redemption of the amounts paid to the worker in excess of his entitlements, provided
that the amount deducted does not exceed (20%) twenty percent of the
wage;
c. The amounts deducted for the purposes of calculating the contributions in bonuses,
retirement pensions and insurances according to the legislation in force in the
State;
d. The worker’s contributions to the Savings Fund at the establishment or the loans payable
to the Fund approved by the Ministry;
Article (26)
Enabling the Worker to Work
1. The wage is paid in exchange for work and the employer shall allow the worker to carry out
his work. Otherwise, it shall be obliged to pay the wage agreed upon.
2. The Implementing Regulation defines the procedures for the worker to quit work if he is
not allowed to perform the work agreed upon in the employment contract.
Article (27)
Minimum Wage
The Cabinet may, upon the proposal of the Minister and in coordination with the concerned
authorities, issue a resolution to determine the minimum wage for workers or any category
thereof.
Article (29)
Annual Leave
1. Without prejudice to the worker’s acquired rights for the period preceding the date of
enforcement of the provisions of this Decree-Law, the worker shall be entitled to an annual
leave with full wage, of not less than:
a. Thirty days for each year of extended service;
b. Two days for each month if his service term is more than six months and less than a year;
c. A leave for parts of the last year he spent at work if his service is ended before using his
annual leave balance.
2. The part-time worker shall be entitled to an annual leave according to the actual working
hours the worker spends working for the employer and its period shall be defined in
the employment contract, in accordance with what is stipulated in the Implementing
Regulation hereof.
3. The employer may agree to grant the worker a leave from his annual leave balance during
the probationary period, while the worker shall reserve his right to be compensated
for the remainder of his annual leave balance in case he does not pass the probationary
period.
4. The worker shall obtain his leave in its entitlement year and the employer may specify the
dates of these leaves according to work requirements and in agreement with the worker, or
grant them alternately among the establishment’s workers, in order to secure its work
progress. The employer shall notify the worker of the specified date for his leave within a
sufficient time of not less than a month.
5. The worker may, with the approval of his employer and in accordance with the applicable
regulations at the establishment, carry forward his annual leave balance or days thereof to
the following year.
6. The worker shall be entitled to the wage for the period of his annual leave.
7. The holidays prescribed by law or by agreement are included in the calculation of the
annual leave period if they fall within the annual leave of the worker and they form a part
thereof, unless the employment contract or the regulations in force at the establishment
provide for anything that is more useful for the worker.
Article (30)
Maternity Leave
1. The female worker shall be entitled to a maternity leave of (60) sixty days, according to the
following:
a. The first (45) forty-five days with full wage; and
b. The following (15) fifteen days with half wage.
2. The female worker may, after using the maternity leave, be absent from work without a
wage for a period not exceeding continuous or intermittent (45) forty-five days. If this
absence is due to her sickness or her child’s sickness resulting from pregnancy or
childbirth, which does not allow her to return to her work. Such sickness shall be proven
by a medical certificate issued by the medical entity. This period is not included within the
service term, for which the female worker is entitled to end of service benefits or the
period of contribution in the retirement scheme in accordance with the legislation in force
in this regard.
3. The female worker shall be entitled to the maternity leave mentioned in Clause (1) of this
Article if the delivery took place (6) six months or more after pregnancy, whether the
fetus was born dead or alive and then died.
4. If the female worker gives birth to a sick child or a child of determination, whose health
condition requires a constant companion, according to a medical report issued by the
medical entity, she has the right to a leave of thirty (30) days with full pay starting after
the end of the maternity leave and she the right to extend the leave for a period of
(30) thirty days without pay.
5. The employer shall grant the female worker a maternity leave upon her request at any
time, starting from the last day of the month preceding immediately the month, in
which she is expected to give birth, and this shall be proven by a certificate issued by the
medical entity.
6. Being on a maternity leave or absent from work as mentioned in this Article shall not
prejudice the female worker’s right to obtain the other leaves.
7. If the female worker works for another employer during the period of her leave authorised
in this Article, the original employer may deprive her of her wages for the leave period or
redeem what he has paid to her.
Article (31)
Sick Leave
1. If the worker is infected by a disease not arising from work injury, he shall inform the
employer or his representative about his sickness, within a period not exceeding (3) three
working days, and submit a medical report on his condition, issued by the medical entity.
2. The worker shall not be entitled to a paid sick leave during the probationary period.
However, the employer may grant him a sick leave without pay, based on a medical
report issued by the medical entity that stipulates the necessity of granting the leave.
3. After the end of the probationary period, the worker may be entitled to a sick leave of not
more than (90) ninety continuous or intermittent days per year, provided that it is
calculated as follows:
a. The first (15) fifteen days with full pay;
b. The following (30) thirty days with half pay;
c. The following period unpaid.
4. The worker shall not be entitled to a wage for the sick leave if the sickness resulted from
the misconduct of the worker, in accordance with the cases defined by the Implementing
Regulation hereof.
5. The employer may terminate the worker’s service after finishing his sick leave referred to
in this Article if he isunable to return to his work, provided that the worker receives all his
financial entitlements in accordance with the provisions of this Decree-Law and its
Implementing Regulation.
Article (32)
Various Leaves
1. The worker shall be entitled to a paid leave in the following cases:
a. A bereavement leave of (5) five days, in case of death of the husband or wife and (3) three
days in case of death of the mother, father, son, brother, sister, grandson, grandfather or
grandmother, starting from the date of death;
b. A parental leave for a period of (5) five working days, for the worker (either the father or
mother), who has a newly born child, in order to take care of his child and the worker is
entitled to such leave for a continuous or intermittent period, within (6) six months from
the date of the child birth;
c. Any other leaves specified by the Cabinet.
Article (33)
Unpaid Leave
1. The worker may, after obtaining the approval of the employer, have an unpaid leave, other
than that referred to herein.
2. The leave mentioned in this Article shall not be included in the worker’s service term at
the employer or in the period of the contribution in the retirement scheme in accordance
with the legislation in force in this regard.
Article (34)
Absence after the Leave
The worker, who does not return directly to his work without a legitimate reason after the
end of his leave, shall not be entitled to his wage for the absence period following the
leave end.
Article (35)
Validity of Notice Period in case of Termination of the Contract
during the Leave
If either party to the employment contract wishes to terminate the contract in accordance
with the provisions of this Decree- Law and its Implementing Regulation, while the worker is
on the leave, the validity of the notice period agreed upon in the employment contract shall
not begin, except from the day following the day scheduled for the worker’s return from the
leave, unless bothparties agree otherwise.
Article (37)
Compensation for Work Injuries and Occupational Diseases
1. Under a resolution of the Cabinet, based on the Minister’s proposal and in coordination
with the concerned authorities, work injuries and occupational diseases, conditions and
procedures to be followed in case any of them occur, the obligations of the employer in
this regard, the amount of compensation due to the worker in case of permanent full or
partial disability, compensation payable to his family in case of his death and the rules for
its distribution and amount, shall be defined.
2. The employer shall, in case the worker has a work injury or an occupational disease:
a. Bear the expenses of the worker’s treatment until he recovers and is able to return to work
or proves his disability, in accordance with the conditions, rules and procedures specified
by the Implementing Regulation hereof.
b. If the work injury or occupational disease prevents the worker from performing his work,
the employer shall pay to the worker an amount equivalent of his full wage throughout
the treatment period or for (6) six months, whichever is less. If the treatment period
exceeds (6) six months, the worker shall obtain half wage for another (6) six months, or
until the worker is cured or his disability or death is proven, whichever is earlier.
3. If the work injury or occupational disease led to the death of the worker, his family shall be
entitled to compensation equal to the basic wage of the worker for (24) twenty four
months, provided that the compensation amount is not less than (AED 18,000) eighteen
thousand UAE Dirham and not more than (AED 200,000) two hundred thousand UAE
Dirham. The compensation amount is calculated according to the basic wage that the
worker was receiving before his death and the compensation is distributed among the
eligible beneficiaries of the deceased worker according to the Implementing Regulation
hereof, while preserving the rights of the deceased’s family in the end of service benefits
and any other financial entitlements payable to the worker.
Article (39)
Disciplinary Sanctions
1. The employer or his representative may impose to the worker who violates the provisions
of this Decree-Law, its Implementing Regulation and resolutions issued for its
implementation, any of the following penalties:
a. Written notice;
b. Written warning;
c. Deduction of not less than (5) five days per month from the wage;
d. Suspension from work for a period not exceeding (14) fourteen days and non-payment of
wage for the suspension days;
e. Deprivation from the periodic bonus for a period not exceeding one year, regarding the
establishments that adopt the periodic bonus system and the worker is entitled to obtain
it according to the provisions of the employment contract or the establishment’s
regulations;
f. Deprivation of promotion at the establishments having a promotion system for a period
not exceeding two years;
g. Termination of service while preserving the worker’s right of end of service benefits.
2. The Implementing Regulation defines the conditions, rules and procedures necessary for
the imposition of any of the penalties referred to in Clause (1) of this Article and the
mechanism of grievance thereof.
Article (41)
Some Rules for Imposing Disciplinary Sanctions
1. It is not permissible to impose any disciplinary sanction to the worker for an action
committed by him outside the workplace unless it is related to work.
2. It is not permissible to impose more than one disciplinary sanction for a single violation,
according to the provision of Article (39) hereof.
Article (42)
Employment Contract Termination Cases
The employment contract is terminated in any of the following cases:
1. The written agreement of both parties upon its termination;
2. Expiry of the term specified in the contract, unless it is extended or renewed as per the
provisions hereof;
3. Based on the wish of either party, provided that the provisions hereof regarding
termination of the employment contract and the notice period agreed upon in the
contract are observed;
4. The employer’s death if the subject of the contract is related to its entity;
Article (43)
Employment Contract Termination Notice
1. Either party to the employment contract may terminate the contract for any legitimate
reason, provided that the other party is notified in writing and work shall be performed
during the notice period agreed upon in the contract, provided that such period is not less
than (30) thirty days and not more than (90) ninety days.
2. The employment contract continues to be valid throughout the notice period referred to
in this Article and is terminated upon expiry of such period. The worker shall
be entitled to his full wage for that period according to the last wage he was obtaining and
he shall work during that period if the employer requests the same from him. It may be
agreed upon exemption from the notice period condition or reducing its period while
preserving all the rights of the worker for the notice period agreed upon in the
employment contract, provided that the notice period is the same for both parties unless
it serves the interests of the worker.
3. The party who did not abide by the notice period shall pay to the other party
compensation, which is called notice period allowance, even if the absence of notification
does not cause damage to the other party and the compensation shall be equal to the
worker’s wage for the full notice period or the remaining part thereof.
4. The notice period allowance is calculated according to the last wage received by the
worker for those who obtain their wages on a monthly, weekly, daily or hourly basis, and
according to the average daily wage referred to herein for those who obtain their wages on
a piecework basis.
5. If the employment contract is terminated by the employer, the worker shall have the right
to be absent during the notice period for one working day without pay per week, in
order to search for another job. The worker may specify the day of absence, provided that
he notifies the employerof the same (3) three days at least before the absence day.
Article (46)
Termination of Service for Lack of Health Fitness
The employer may not terminate the worker’s service due to his lack of health fitness before
using the legally accrued leaves. Each agreement to the contrary shall be null and void, even if
it is concluded prior to the enforcement of the provisions hereof.
Article (48)
Continuity of Employment Contracts
The employment contracts in force shall remain valid in the event of a change in the
establishment’s form or legal status. The new employer shall be responsible for implementing
the provisions of those contracts, in addition to executing the provisions of this Decree-Law,
its Implementing Regulation and the resolutions issued for its implementation, as of the date
of amending the establishment data at the competent authorities.
Article (49)
Transfer of the Worker after Expiry of the Employment Contract
The worker may, in case of expiry of the employment contract in accordance with the
provisions hereof, move to work for another employer as per the conditions and procedures
specified in the Implementing Regulation hereof.
Article (51)
End of Service Benefits for Full-Time Workers
1. The national worker shall be entitled to end of service benefits at the end of his service, in
accordance with the legislation regulating the pensions and social securities in the State.
2. The full-time foreign worker, who completed a year or more in continuous service, shall be
entitled to end of service benefits at the end of his service, calculated according to the
basic wage as per the following:
a. A wage of (21) twenty one days for each year of the first five years of service;
b. A wage of (30) thirty days for each year exceeding such period.
3. The foreign worker shall be entitled to a benefit for parts of the year in proportion to the
period spent at work, provided that he completed one year of continuous service.
4. The unpaid days of absence from work shall not be included in the calculation of the
service term.
5. Without prejudice to the legislation regarding the granting of pensions or retirement
benefits to workers in some establishments, the end of service benefits shall be calculated
according to the last basic wage the worker was entitled to, with respect to those who
receive their wages on a monthly, weekly or daily basis and according to the average daily
wage stipulated in the provisions hereof for those who receive their wages on a piecework
basis.
6. It is required based on the foregoing that the end of service benefits for the foreign worker
in its entirety does not exceed two years’ wage.
7. The employer may deduct from the end of service benefits any amounts payable under the
law or a judgment, in accordance with the conditions and procedures specified in the
Implementing Regulation hereof.
8. The Cabinet may, based on the Minister’s proposal and after coordination with the
concerned authorities, approve other alternative schemes for the end of service benefits
scheme and the issued resolution specifies the conditions, rules and mechanism of
contribution in these schemes.
Article (53)
Paying the Workers’ Entitlements at the End of the Contract Term
The employer shall pay to the worker, within (14) fourteen days from the end date of the
contract term, his wages and all his other entitlements stipulated herein and resolutions
issued for its implementation, the contract or the establishment’s by-laws.
Article (54)
Individual Labour Disputes
1. If there is a dispute between the employer and the worker or if any of them is entitled to
obtain any of the resulting rights of them in accordance with the provisions hereof, he
shall submit a request of the same to the Ministry, which shall examine the request and
take what it deems necessary to settle the dispute between them amicably.
2. If a friendly settlement is not possible within the period specified by the Implementing
Regulation hereof, the Ministry shall refer the dispute to the competent court and
the referral shall be accompanied by a memorandum including a summary of the dispute,
arguments of both parties and the Ministry’s recommendation.
3. Individual labour disputes shall be addressed as if they were disputes between the
establishment and the worker, both parties to the dispute. It is not permissible to impose
any penalties or take administrative actions against the establishment that may cause
damage to other workers at the establishment or to the employer, except after settling
or resolving the dispute as per the provisions of this Decree-Law and its Implementing
Regulation. The Ministry’s right during the proceedings of the dispute to oblige the
employer to continuously pay the worker’s wages for a maximum of two months shall be
excluded from this Clause if the dispute causes the suspension of the worker’s wages
payment according to the Implementing Regulation.
4. It is permissible, by a resolution of the Minister, to impose other administrative actions or
measures on the establishment, in order to avoid that the existing individual dispute
would lead to the occurrence of a collective labour dispute causing damage to the public
interest.
5. The competent court shall, within (3) three working days from the date of receiving the
request, set a hearing to consider the claim, of which both parties shall be notified,
and decide on it as soon as possible.
Article (56)
Collective Labour Disputes
1. If there is a dispute between the employer and all the workers of the establishment or a
group of them, and the amicable settlement is not possible, the employer or workers shall
submit a complaint to the Ministry as per the rules and procedures specified by the
Implementing Regulation hereof.
2. The Minister may impose preventive procedures or measures on the establishment, in
order to avoid that the existing collective dispute would cause damage to the public
interest.
3. The Cabinet may, based on the Minister’s proposal, form one committee or more called
(Collective Labour Disputes Committee), so as to consider collective labour disputes
that the Ministry is not able to settle amicably. The issued resolution shall define its
formation, duties, work system, mechanism of issuing its resolutions and their execution,
as well as other provisions related to the proper work progress of the Committee.
Article (57)
Work Inspection
1. The Ministry’s officials, who are authorised by a resolution of the Minister of Justice in
agreement with the Minister, shall have the capacity of law enforcement officers to
prove the violations to the provisions of this Decree-Law, its Implementing Regulation and
the resolutions issued for its implementation. They shall have the right to enter the
relevant establishments, examine violations and write the necessary minutes and records.
2. The Implementing Regulation hereof shall specify the procedures for work inspection.
Article (59)
Any person who commits the following shall be punished by a fine of not less than (AED
20,000) twenty thousand UAE Dirham and not more than (AED 100,000) one hundred
thousand UAE Dirham:
1. Submitting false information or documents in order to recruit a foreign worker to the
State to work therein;
2. Obstructing or preventing an employee assigned to implement the provisions of this
Decree-Law, its Implementing Regulation and the resolutions issued for its
implementation, attempting or trying to prevent him from performing his job, whether by
using force, violence or threatening to use it;
3. Disclosing a work secret, to which he has access, by virtue of his job as a public officer
charged with the implementation of the provisions of this Decree-Law, its Implementing
Regulation and the resolutions issued for its implementation, even after quitting work.
Article (60)
Any person who commits the following shall be punished by a fine of not less than (AED
50,000) fifty thousand UAE Dirham and not more than (AED 200,000) two hundred thousand
UAE Dirham:
1. Employing a worker who is not permitted to work for him;
2. Recruiting or employing a worker and leaving him without work;
3. Using work permits for purposes other than those for which they were issued;
4. Closing an establishment or suspending its activity without taking actions for settling the
workers’ rights in violation of the provisions of this Decree-Law, its Implementing
Regulation and the resolutions issued for its implementation;
5. Employing a juvenile in violation of the provisions hereof;
6. Agreeing on employment of the juvenile in violation of the provisions hereof, by the
guardian or custodian of the juvenile.
Article (62)
The fine imposed in accordance with the provisions hereof regarding the employers, would
vary according to the multiplicity of workers who committed violations, with a maximum of
(AED 10,000,000) ten million UAE Dirham.
Article (63)
Any person, who violates any other provision o this Decree- Law, its Implementing Regulation
and the resolutions issued for its implementation, shall be punished with a fine of not
less than (AED 5,000) five thousand UAE Dirham and not more than (AED 1,000,000) one
million UAE Dirham.
Article (64)
In case of repeating any of the violations mentioned in this Decree-Law, its Implementing
Regulation and the resolutions issued for its implementation, before the lapse of one year
since the perpetrator of a similar violation has been punished, then the perpetrator shall be
punished by imprisonment, along with doubling the fine stipulated herein or one of these
penalties.
Article (67)
Calculation of Periods and Dates
The calculation of the periods and dates stipulated herein shall be based on the Gregorian
calendar. The Gregorian year in applying the provisions hereof shall include (365) three
hundred and sixty-five days, while the month represents (30) thirty days.
Article (68)
Adjustment of Situations
1. The provisions hereof shall apply to employment contracts of undefined terms, which are
concluded in accordance with Federal Law No. (8) of 1980 mentioned above.
2. The employers shall adjust their situations and convert employment contracts with
undefined terms to fixed-term employment contracts, as per the conditions, rules and
procedures contained herein during one year from the date of its enforcement. The
Minister may extend this period for other periods as required by the public interest.
3. Subject to the provision of Clause (2) of this Article, the employer may calculate the end
of service benefits in accordance with the provisions of the employment contract with an
undefined term stated in Federal Law No. (8) of 1980 indicated above.
Article (69)
Grievance against the Ministry's Resolutions
Both parties to the employment relationship may file a grievance against the resolutions
issued by the Ministry in accordance with the procedures specified in the Implementing
Regulation hereof..
Article (71)
The Ministry's Powers
For the purposes hereof, the Ministry shall be concerned with the following:
1. Proposing the policies, strategies and legislation for the following:
a. Encouraging and motivating the establishments to invest in training and empowerment of
workers, as well as raising their level of skill, efficiency and productivity;
b. Adopting modern and technological means and soliciting the best competencies
according to the requirements of the labour market in the State to increase productivity;
c. Training the students of public and higher education institutions accredited in the State.
2. Establishing unified forms for the regulations of employment relationships at the
establishments and issuing rules and mechanisms for their adoption, in order to serve the
interest of the worker and employer.
Article (73)
Abrogation
1. Federal Law No. (8) of 1980 regulating employment relationships shall be abrogated.
2. Each provision that violates or contradicts the provisions hereof shall be abrogated.
3. The resolutions, regulations and rules in force prior to the enforcement of the provisions
hereof shall remain in force, in a way not contradicting its provisions, until they are
replaced in accordance with the provisions hereof.
Article (74)
Publication and Enforcement of the Decree-Law
This Decree-Law shall be published in the Official Gazette and shall be enforced as of2
February 2022.