Labour Law Implementing Regulationchapter by chapter

Article 4(1)Article (4) Process for the Employment of Juveniles

Employers are prohibited from employing juveniles aged 15 to 18 in hazardous or harmful industries or occupations that could jeopardise their health, safety or morals.

Article 4(3)(a)Employer of a juvenile must keep a special record containing the juvenile's name/age, guardian's/custodian's full nam...

Employers of juveniles must maintain a special record that includes personal and employment details of the juvenile and their guardian.

Article 4(3)(b)Employer must insure juveniles in the same manner as regular workers.

Employers must insure juvenile workers in the same manner as regular workers under federal labour law.

Article 4(3)(c)Employer must train the juvenile to observe occupational safety and health standards.

Employers must train juvenile employees to observe occupational safety and health standards.

Article 4(3)(d)Employer must display in the workplace, in a visible location, the regulations relating to employment of juveniles.

Employers must display juvenile employment regulations in a visible location in the workplace.

Article 4(4)Article (4) Process for the Employment of Juveniles

Charitable, educational and training institutions seeking exemption from juvenile employment provisions must be registered with the competent authority and pursue a genuine registered objective such as training or charity.

Article 5(3)Worker and employer must abide by the employment contract clauses applicable to the specific work type agreed (full-t...

Workers and employers must comply with the employment contract clauses that apply to the agreed work type, such as full-time, part-time, temporary, remote or job-sharing.

Article 6Employer must obtain the correct category of work permit (e.g., overseas recruitment, transfer, family-sponsored, tem...

Employers must obtain the correct category of work permit matching the worker's actual employment arrangement, such as overseas recruitment, transfer, temporary or part-time, before employment begins.

Article 7(1)(a)Except for juvenile and student training/employment permits, the worker must be at least 18 years old to be issued a ...

Workers must be at least 18 years old to receive a work permit, except under juvenile or student training and employment permits.

Article 7(1)(b)Worker must meet applicable legislative conditions, including holding any required professional practice licence, for...

Workers must meet applicable legal conditions, including holding any required professional practice licence, for specialised professions or licensed jobs.

Article 7(1)(c)The occupation for which the worker is employed must be consistent with the establishment's registered economic activ...

Employers must ensure each worker's occupation is consistent with the establishment's registered economic activity under federal labour law.

Article 7(1)(d)The establishment's licence must be valid and free of violations that would lead to suspension of its activity.

An establishment must keep its licence valid and free of violations that would lead to suspension of its activity.

Article 7(1)(e)The work permit application must be filed by the establishment's legally authorised signatory.

A work permit application must be filed by the establishment's legally authorised signatory.

Article 7(2)(a)-(b)Renewal of a work permit requires submission of the application through Ministry-specified channels and fulfilment of...

Renewal of a work permit requires applying through Ministry-specified channels and meeting the same conditions that apply to initial issuance.

Article 7(2)(c)Renewal requires completion of required documents and academic qualification evidence.

A renewal application requires completion of all required documents and evidence of academic qualifications.

Article 7(2)(d)Renewal requires payment of the prescribed fees according to permit type and the establishment's classification categ...

Renewal of a permit requires payment of prescribed fees according to permit type and the establishment's classification category.

Article 7(3)(a)-(b)Cancellation of a work permit requires submission of an application through Ministry-specified channels with completi...

Cancellation of a work permit must be requested through the Ministry-specified channels, with all required data completed and supporting documents attached.

Article 7(3)(c)Employer must pay any fines for delays in issuing the work permit or for failure to renew it, as a condition of cance...

Employers must pay any fines arising from delays in issuing a work permit or failure to renew it, as a condition for cancelling the permit.

Article 7(3)(d)Employer must acknowledge that the worker has been granted all of his entitlements as a condition of cancelling the w...

Employers must acknowledge that workers have been granted all entitlements as a condition of cancelling a work permit.

Article 7(4)Ministry may refuse, refrain from renewing, or cancel a work permit (and take legal action) where incorrect documents...

The Ministry can refuse, refrain from renewing, or cancel work permits based on document inaccuracies or non-compliance with the Wage Protection System.

Article 9(2)(a)The sole proprietor or partners of an entity licensed for mediation/temporary employment/outsourcing activities must ...

The sole proprietor or partners of a licensed mediation, temporary employment or outsourcing entity must not have convictions for moral turpitude, dishonesty, human trafficking or other listed crimes, unless rehabilitated.

Article 9(2)(b)Agency must render to the Ministry, throughout the licence validity, a bank guarantee of at least AED 300,000 for an ...

Agencies must provide the Ministry a continuously renewed bank guarantee of at least AED 300,000 for intermediation, or AED 1,000,000 for temporary employment, or equivalent insurance.

Article 9(2)(c)Agency must submit a credit report issued by the competent authority for the licence applicant/partners.

An agency must submit a credit report issued by the competent authority covering the licence applicant and its partners.

Article 9(3)The Ministry-issued agency licence must be renewed annually, subject to verification of continuous fulfilment of all ...

The ministry-issued agency licence must be renewed annually, and renewal requires verifying continuous compliance with all licensing conditions.

Article 9(4)(a)Agency must refrain from providing workers to a beneficiary establishment that is administratively suspended by the M...

Employment agencies must not supply workers to any beneficiary establishment that the Ministry has administratively suspended for violations.

Article 9(4)(b)Agency must refrain from providing workers to another temporary employment agency for onward placement at the benefic...

A temporary employment agency must not supply workers to another temporary employment agency for onward placement with the beneficiary.

Article 9(4)(c)The person in charge of the agency must ensure application of the Decree-Law and Regulation to registered workers, an...

Agency heads must ensure compliance with labor laws for registered workers and report any breaches of workers' rights or safety to the Ministry.

Article 9(5)Article (9) The Activity of Employment Agencies

Employment agencies must conclude a contract with the beneficiary governing the relationship for outsourced or mediated workers.

Article 9(6)Licence issuance requires application submission via Ministry channels, fulfilment of conditions, provision of requir...

Licence issuance requires an application through Ministry channels, fulfilment of conditions, required guarantees or insurance, and payment of prescribed fees.

Article 9(7)Ministry may suspend or revoke an agency's licence for unmet licensing conditions, incorrect submitted data, forced l...

The Ministry may suspend or revoke an agency's licence for unmet licensing conditions, incorrect data, forced labour or trafficking, or unpaid workers' wages.

Article 10(1)Article (10) Employment Contract

Employment contracts must state employer and worker details, job, workplace, working hours, wage, leave, probation, term, notice period and termination procedures, plus any Ministry-required data.

Article 10(2)Article (10) Employment Contract

Additional clauses in employment contracts must comply with relevant laws and regulations.

Article 10(3)Article (10) Employment Contract

Employers must obtain mutual consent for contract changes, pay all entitlements from the original contract, and follow Ministry procedures.

Article 10(4)Employer and worker must contract using the Ministry system's approved contract forms corresponding to the agreed wor...

Employers and workers must contract using Ministry-approved contract forms matching the agreed work type, such as full-time, part-time, temporary, flexible, remote or job-sharing.

Article 12(1)Article (12) Rules for Non-Competition Clause

A non-competition clause in an employment contract must specify a defined geographical scope, a term not exceeding two years after contract expiry, and be limited to work causing significant harm to the employer.

Article 12(2)Article (12) Rules for Non-Competition Clause

In non-competition disputes referred to the courts, the employer bears the burden of proving the alleged damage.

Article 12(3)Article (12) Rules for Non-Competition Clause

A non-competition clause does not apply where contract termination is attributable to the employer or the employer's breach of legal or contractual obligations.

Article 12(5)(a)A worker is exempt from the non-competition clause if the worker or new employer pays the previous employer compensat...

Workers are exempt from non-competition clauses if they or a new employer pay the previous employer compensation up to three months' wage, with the previous employer's written consent.

Article 13(1)Article (13) Assigning the Worker to Another Job

A worker may be assigned to fundamentally different work only as a necessary exception, to prevent an accident or repair damage, capped at 90 days per year.

Article 14Establishments employing 50 or more workers must set internal work-organisation rules covering work instructions, pen...

Establishments employing 50 or more workers must adopt internal work-organisation rules covering work instructions, disciplinary penalties, promotions and rewards, and termination procedures.

Article 14(1)Article (14) Rules Regarding the Organisation of Work

Internal work rules must not contradict the Decree-Law, the Resolution, or the Legal Regulations on organisation of work.

Article 14(2)Article (14) Rules Regarding the Organisation of Work

Employers must include in internal work rules the penalties that may be imposed on violating workers, together with the terms and conditions governing when those penalties apply.

Article 14(3)Work instructions within the rules must cover daily working hours, weekly rest days, official holidays, and necessary...

Work instructions must cover daily working hours, weekly rest days, official holidays, and precautions against work injuries and fire hazards.

Article 14(4)Work rules must regulate promotions and rewards, including the applicable criteria.

Employers must include in work rules the regulation of promotions and rewards, together with the applicable criteria.

Article 14(5)Employer must inform workers of the work-organisation regulations by any available means and ensure they understand t...

Employers must inform workers of work-organisation regulations by any available means and ensure workers understand them in a language they understand, under federal labour law.

Article 15(1)Commuting time must be counted within working hours where: transit delay is due to bad weather per National Centre of...

Commuting time must count as working hours when weather delays follow National Centre of Meteorology warnings, employer transport is delayed by accidents or breakdowns, or the contract expressly agrees.

Article 15(2)Regular working hours must be reduced by two hours per day during the holy month of Ramadan.

Regular working hours are reduced by two hours per day during Ramadan.

Article 15(3)Article (15) Working Hours

Employers must not instruct overtime exceeding two hours daily, except to prevent serious loss or accident, and total working hours must not exceed 144 hours per three weeks.

Article 15(4)Chairpersons/board members, supervisory position holders with employer powers, ship crew/seafarers, workers in necess...

Under federal labour law, board chairpersons and members, supervisory staff with employer powers, seafarers, continuous shift workers and preparatory or complementary workers are exempt from maximum working hour rules.

Article 16(1)(a)Employer must pay wages on their due dates as agreed in the contract and in accordance with Ministry-set regulations ...

Employers must pay wages on the due dates agreed in the contract and in accordance with Ministry-set regulations and standards.

Article 16(1)(b)All establishments registered with the Ministry must pay workers' wages on the due date through the Wage Protection S...

Establishments registered with the Ministry of Human Resources must pay workers' wages on the due date through the Wage Protection System or another Ministry-approved payment system.

Article 16(1)(c)Establishments must submit whatever documentation is required to prove payment of workers' wages if requested by the ...

Establishments must provide documentation proving workers' wages were paid whenever the Ministry requests it.

Article 17(1)Employer must enable the worker to perform his work; otherwise, the employer must pay the worker's agreed wage.

Employers must enable workers to perform their work; failing that, they must pay the worker's agreed wage under federal labour law.

Article 17(2)If failure to enable the worker to work is due to circumstances beyond the employer's control, the employer must info...

Where an employer cannot provide work due to circumstances beyond its control, the employer must notify the worker and guarantee payment of the worker's wages.

Article 17(4)Article (17) Failure to Enable the Worker to Work

The Ministry may give an employer a grace period to enable a worker to work, with potential work permit cancellation if no action is taken.

Article 18Article (18) Annual Leave for Part-time Workers

Part-time workers' annual leave must be calculated from actual working hours converted to working days, with a minimum of five working days per year and fractional days rounded up to a full day.

Article 19(1)Article (19) Carrying Forward Annual Leaves or Receiving Cash Allowance Thereof

Workers may carry forward no more than half of annual leave to the next year, or agree with employers to take a cash allowance instead.

Article 19(2)Article (19) Carrying Forward Annual Leaves or Receiving Cash Allowance Thereof

Workers are entitled to a cash allowance for unused annual leave upon termination, based on their basic wage.

Article 20(1)(a)Worker is not entitled to wages during sick leave if the disease resulted from his own misconduct, such as consumptio...

Employees lose entitlement to wages during sick leave when the illness results from their own misconduct, such as alcohol or drug consumption.

Article 20(1)(b)Worker is not entitled to wages during sick leave if he violated safety instructions in force (crisis/disaster instru...

A worker loses entitlement to wages during sick leave if they violated safety instructions in force, including disaster instructions, traffic regulations, or acknowledged establishment safety rules.

Article 20(2)A report from the concerned State authorities proving the disease resulted from the worker's misconduct is a prerequi...

Withholding sick-leave wages requires a report from State authorities confirming that the disease resulted from the worker’s misconduct.

Article 21(1)Employer may grant study leave for exams provided the worker has obtained admission from an accredited institute/coll...

Employers may grant study leave for exams if the worker is admitted to an accredited institution in the State and provides proof of exam dates.

Article 21(2)National workers are entitled to a sabbatical leave to perform national and reserve service, per applicable laws/regu...

National workers are entitled to sabbatical leave to perform national and reserve service, in accordance with applicable laws and regulations.

Article 21(3)Worker is entitled to bereavement leave from the date of death, provided he submits proof of death upon returning to ...

Workers are entitled to bereavement leave starting from the date of death, provided they submit proof of death upon returning to work.

Article 21(4)Worker is entitled to parental leave as stipulated in the Decree-Law, provided he submits proof of the birth of his c...

A worker is entitled to parental leave under the Decree-Law upon submitting proof of his child's birth.

Article 21(5)Bereavement leave, parental leave, annual leave and unpaid leave may be combined.

Bereavement leave, parental leave, annual leave and unpaid leave may be combined with one another under the Federal Labour Law.

Article 22(1)(a)Employer must provide necessary means of prevention to protect workers from injury, occupational disease, fire hazard...

Employers must provide necessary prevention means to protect workers from injury, occupational disease, fire hazards and machine or tool risks, and implement Ministry-prescribed prevention measures.

Article 22(1)(b)Employer must display, in a visible workplace location, detailed and clear instructions on fire prevention and protec...

Employers must display clear fire prevention and occupational risk instructions in a visible workplace location, in Arabic and another language workers understand, and post hazard warning signs.

Article 22(1)(c)Employer must inform workers, prior to commencement of duty, of the risks of their occupation (fire hazards, machines...

Employers must inform workers, before they start duty, of occupational risks such as fire hazards, machinery, fall risks and occupational diseases.

Article 22(1)(d)Employer must entrust first-aid supervision to a medical aid specialist and provide all necessary supplies in each fi...

Employers must place first-aid supervision under a medical aid specialist and supply all necessary materials in every first-aid kit at the workplace.

Article 22(1)(e)Employer must provide necessary fire-prevention means and appropriate extinguishers suited to the materials found at ...

An employer must provide necessary fire-prevention means and appropriate extinguishers suited to the materials found at the establishment and used in production.

Article 22(1)(f)Employer must take necessary measures to continually ensure workplace conditions provide adequate health and safety p...

Employers must continually take necessary measures to ensure workplaces provide adequate health and safety protection for workers under federal labour law.

Article 22(1)(g)Employer must take appropriate practical measures to prevent, reduce or eliminate health hazards in the workplace.

Employer must take appropriate practical measures to prevent, reduce or eliminate health hazards in the workplace.

Article 22(1)(h)Employer must take necessary precautions to protect workers from falls, falling objects, flying shards, sharp objects...

Employers must take necessary precautions to protect workers from hazards including falls, falling objects, flying shards, sharp objects, caustic or hot liquids, flammable or explosive materials, compressed gases and electricity.

Article 22(1)(i)Employer must post signs at machine locations and relevant operations showing necessary technical instructions in Ara...

Employers must post signs at machine locations showing technical instructions in Arabic and a language workers understand, where appropriate.

Article 22(2)Article (22) Safety, Protection and Health Care of Workers

Employers may issue regulations setting penalties for workers who violate safety instructions or misuse or damage protective equipment.

Article 22(3)(a)Employer's compliance with providing health insurance for workers is subject to Ministry monitoring, in accordance wi...

Employers must provide health insurance for workers, monitored by the Ministry according to state legislation.

Article 23(1)(a)-(b)Employer must pay treatment costs for a worker suffering a work injury or occupational disease, treated at a governme...

Employers must pay medical treatment costs for workers suffering work injuries or occupational diseases at government or private facilities until recovery or disability is established.

Article 23(1)(c)-(d)Treatment costs covered must include hospital stay, surgical procedures, X-rays and medical analyses, medications and...

Covered treatment costs for workers must include hospital stay, surgery, X-rays and medical analyses, medications, rehabilitation equipment, prosthetic devices, and treatment-related transportation costs.

Article 23(3)Employer may only deny compensation for a work injury resulting from a worker's deliberate violation of posted preven...

An employer may deny work injury compensation for a worker's deliberate violation of preventive instructions only if it provided bilingual safety instructions, occupational risk disclosure, protective equipment, training and posted written instructions.

Article 23(4)If a work injury or occupational disease leads to the worker's death, compensation must be paid to his eligible benef...

Where a work injury or occupational disease causes a worker's death, compensation must be paid to eligible beneficiaries under applicable legislation or the worker's prior designation.

Article 24(1)Disciplinary sanctions must take into account the gravity/seriousness of the violation based on criteria including br...

Employers imposing disciplinary sanctions must weigh the gravity of the violation, including confidentiality breach, health and safety impact, financial and reputational harm, abuse of power, recurrence, and moral character.

Article 24(2)Employer must draw up a schedule of penalties clarifying each disciplinary sanction set out in Article (39) of the De...

Employers must prepare a schedule of penalties that clarifies each disciplinary sanction set out in the Decree-Law's disciplinary provision.

Article 24(3)No disciplinary penalty may be imposed except after informing the worker in writing of the charges, hearing his state...

Employers must give workers written notice of disciplinary charges and a hearing before any penalty, and notify the penalty in writing with its grounds.

Article 24(4)A worker may not be accused of a disciplinary violation detected more than 30 days earlier, and no sanction may be im...

Employers may not accuse a worker of a disciplinary violation detected more than 30 days earlier, and no disciplinary sanction may be imposed more than 60 days after the investigation concludes and the violation is established.

Article 24(5)Worker has the right to file a grievance claim with establishment management against any penalty imposed, without bei...

Workers may file a grievance with establishment management against any penalty imposed, without retaliation, and employers must notify the worker of the grievance outcome.

Article 24(6)Every employer with 50 or more workers must post in a visible place (or otherwise make accessible) a complaints and g...

Employers with 50 or more workers must provide an accessible complaints and grievance system, allowing workers to file complaints and receive a written response within a set period.

Article 25(1)Employment contracts terminate automatically upon a court ruling adjudicating the employer's bankruptcy/insolvency, o...

Employment contracts end automatically when a court declares the employer bankrupt or insolvent, or a competent authority finds it cannot continue due to exceptional economic reasons.

Article 26Specified grave-danger circumstances (ignition sources, live electrical wire exposure, hazardous chemicals, unusual b...

Workers may leave work without prior warning when grave danger exists, such as ignition sources, live electrical wires, hazardous chemicals, extreme heat, loud noise, or radiation.

Article 27(1)Where an employment contract terminates because the agreed term ends without renewal, is terminated per Articles 42/4...

A worker may transfer to another employer when the contract ends without renewal, is terminated under specified Decree-Law articles, or the employer terminates without a worker-attributable reason.

Article 28(1)Article (28) Rules for Reporting Unexpected Work Abandonment

Employers must notify the Ministry of Human Resources of a worker's unexpected work abandonment when absence exceeds seven consecutive days and the employer cannot locate or contact the worker.

Article 29(1)Article (29) Rules for Deductions from End of Service Benefits of Workers

Employers may deduct from a worker's end-of-service benefits only for loan or overpayment recovery, employee scheme contributions, approved penalties, court-ordered debts, or repairing damage caused by the worker's fault.

Article 29(2)Article (29) Rules for Deductions from End of Service Benefits of Workers

Employers may deduct from workers' end-of-service benefits for worker violations or damage only if the disciplinary procedure was followed and no more than three months have lapsed from the due date, unless otherwise agreed.

Article 30(1)EOSB for part-time or job-sharing workers is calculated as: (contracted working hours per year ÷ full-time working ho...

EOSB for part-time workers is calculated based on their contracted hours compared to full-time hours, multiplied by the full-time EOSB value.

Article 30(2)Article (30) End of Service Benefits for Workers in Other Types of Employment

End-of-service gratuity does not apply to temporary employment contracts whose duration is less than one year under the Federal Labour Law.

Article 31(1)Where the employer or worker disputes accrued rights under the Decree-Law, the party may submit a complaint to the Mi...

Employers or workers disputing accrued rights under the Decree-Law may file a complaint with the Ministry, which will examine the dispute and attempt amicable settlement.

Article 31(4)Article (31) Individual Labour Disputes

Workers who continue working during a referred labour dispute may claim two months' wages; the Ministry may require the employer to pay or refer the matter to the judiciary.

Article 32(3)Article (32) Collective Labour Disputes

In collective labour disputes, the Ministry may liquidate an employer's bank guarantee or insurance securing workers' rights without employer approval if the workers' allegation is substantiated.

Article 33(2)(d)Employers and their representatives must provide labour inspectors with the necessary facilities and data to perform ...

Employers must give labour inspectors the facilities and data needed for their duties and respond to inspectors' summonses or send a representative when requested.

Article 34Article (34) Administrative Penalties

The Ministry may impose administrative penalties on establishments violating obligations under the Decree-Law and this Resolution.

Article 35(1)A party to the employment relationship (including the employer) may appeal a Ministry resolution by filing a petition...

Employment relationship parties, including employers, may appeal a Ministry resolution by petitioning the Grievance Committee through Ministry channels within 30 days of becoming aware of it.

Article 35(2)The grievance petition must include all supporting data and documents.

A labour grievance petition must include all supporting data and documents, as required by the labour law.

Article 36(1)In extraordinary emergency situations declared by Cabinet resolution, employers may need to apply commensurate work m...

During extraordinary emergencies declared by Cabinet resolution, employers may apply work measures such as remote work, paid or unpaid leave, or wage reduction, considering all parties' interests.

Article 7(3)Cancel work permits

A work permit is canceled through the Ministry with required documentation and acknowledgment of worker entitlements.