On November 15, the President of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) issued a new Decree Law No. 33/20212 that includes several amendments and texts to regulate labour relations. It will enter into force starting from February 2, 2022 in both the public and private sectors.

The amendments include changing the indefinite period work contracts to a fixed-term contract, that does not exceed 3 years, and can be renewed one more time for the same period or not with the agreement of the worker and employer.

Workers can, also, have a paid rest day, a “mourning” leave (3 to 5 days depending on the deceased’s relationship to the worker), the “parental” leave (5 days), and any other leaves granted by the Council of Ministers. The fees of recruitment will exclusively be paid by the employer and will not be taken from the workers’ salaries by any means.

The decree-law prevents withholding the worker’s official documents and the employer forcing them to leave the country after the end of their service. It gives them the right to work for another employer with a probation period of no more than 6 months. Also, companies have the right to pay the salaries in UAE dirhams or any other currency.

The worker should be committed to work, show good behaviour, maintain work secrets, not work for another employer, and leave the accommodation offered by work a month after the end of the work contract.

The decree-law is considered to be a development in the regulation of labour relations in the country, enabling it to conform to the next fifty years and the changes in the world of labour.

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