2016: A Year of New Labor Laws for Expats in the UAE

To make UAE one of the most favorable and employee friendly locations on the globe, the government is making a few tweaks to the Emirati laws pertaining to employment and talent acquisition in various organizations.

UAE have over 3/4^th of population comprising of expats. Be it the working hours, or the social conventions, enough have been said about the UAE labor laws already. This is all that you need to know while hunting for a job in the UAE.

There’s a moment to rejoice for all professionals who aim to have a work life here. The new labor law brings in provisions that make job security increasingly possible, hence enforcing a highly secure work environment. To many, it seems nothing less than an employee favoring agreement making every expat worker aware about his employee rights.

The UAE Labor ministry is getting strict over the employee harassment or manipulation laws, and so pushing for stringent laws to make Emirati corporations the best workplaces.

Not only will this, but those who wish to make quick swaps amongst employers can have a sigh of relief as well. The law pertaining to employment contract apparently disregards all job contracts and issues labor permits to all those who consider shifting to other companies.

It might be nothing less than news, but offer letters received by applicants would serve the purpose of permanent employment contracts as well.

According to the UAE labor ministry, it is the employer’s duty to provide the selected applicant with a detailed letter of employment on selection. It should contain a detailed description of the job role, the working conditions and the rights and duties of each party also. The same is also immune to being replaced or modified, unless both parties agree to it.

Conditions of Termination

However different the new set of laws might seem, there’s a dark shade of reality to it as well. It clearly lays out a few conditions which lead to terminating the ties between the worker and the recruiter. The major constraints include:

-  Not renewing a limited period contract, which gets expired eventually.

-  The Employee ending the contract on account of any reason that abides by the legal procedures.

-  Both parties agreeing to end the contract, while it is still valid.

-  When the employer/employee disrupts the contract without consulting the legal procedure and without the other party being any reason to it.

-  Violation of any section as mentioned in Article No (120)

One thing that remains unchanged is the serving of notice letter, when the contractual relationship is terminated by any single party.

It’s your chance to clinch a job offer now.