The UAE’s new labour relations law went into effect on Wednesday February 2, 2022. The new rules effect many of the rules that govern private sector employees and will replace a law that was first implemented in 1980.
The new law will offer employers and employees new ways to engage in more varied working practices, including part-time jobs for more than one employer and flexible work that involves changing the working hours or days depending on the workload and the need of the employer.
“While the previous law was more focused on full-time employment, the new law introduced alternative schemes of employment such as “part-time work”, “temporary work” and “flexible work”,” Shiraz Sethi, regional head of employment at Dentons said.
“The part-time work allows work for an employer(s) for a specific number of working hours or days and for the first time allows for an employee to be employed by two or more employers. The temporary work allows for work on a specific project where the employment relationship ends with the completion of the project. The flexible work is the work where hours or working days change according to the work flow and the economic and operational variables of the employer,” he added.
Dr. Abdulrahman Al Awar, Minister of Human Resources and Emiratisation, said the new law would help drive the reputation of the UAE labour market as one of the world’s leading labour markets, according to a statement carried by WAM. The new law is “characterised by flexibility, efficiency, ease of conducting business and attracting talents, and available expertise and skills, in light of its protection for both labour relations parties,” the statement read.
The law also adds rules regarding discrimination, and prohibits the practice.
“In the previous labour law discrimination was acknowledged as a concept; however it lacked provisions pertaining to the protected characteristics. The new law prohibits discrimination against persons specifically on the grounds of race, colour, sex, religion, national origin, ethnic origin or disability,” Sethi explained.
New rules also clarify leave days for employees. Some experts have already said that in regard to annual leave, the situation remains unchanged. However, the law does introduce a five-day paid bereavement period on the death of a spouse and a three-day paid leave on the death of a parent, child, sibling, grandchild or grandparent, commencing from the date of the death.
Five days of parental leave is also offered to both parents for childcare, and workers will be entitled to a 10-day study leave to pursue their education at an accredited UAE educational institution.
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