UAE Lists 7 Entitlements Every Domestic Worker in the Country Is Guaranteed by Law
- The UAE government published an official list of entitlements guaranteed to domestic workers under its Federal Decree-Law
- The list covers everything from rest hours and paid leave to possession of personal identification documents like passports
- Workers are also entitled to a round-trip ticket home and capped sick leave under the country's domestic worker protections
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The United Arab Emirates has officially outlined seven legal entitlements that every domestic worker in the country is guaranteed, publishing the full list on its government website.
The information, presented under the heading "Entitlements of domestic workers," states that the rights apply as per the Federal Decree-Law governing domestic labour in the country.
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What the UAE law says
1. Payment of wages, as set out in the standard contract, within 10 days from the due date
2. One day of paid rest per week
3. 12 hours of rest per day, including at least 8 hours of consecutive rest
4. Paid annual leave of no less than 30 days
5. A round-trip ticket home every 2 years
6. No more than 30 days of sick leave per year
7. Possession of their personal identification papers, such as passports, IDs, etc.
Why these entitlements matter for domestic workers
The inclusion of passport possession as a formal right is particularly notable. Withholding identity documents from domestic workers has been a widely documented issue across parts of the Middle East, and the UAE's explicit listing of it as a legal entitlement signals an institutional position against the practice.
The rest provisions are also worth noting. Workers are guaranteed 12 hours of rest daily, with at least eight of those hours being consecutive, in addition to one full paid day off per week. Combined with a minimum of 30 days of paid annual leave, the framework sets a structured baseline for working conditions in the sector.
Wage payment must occur within 10 days of the due date as outlined in the employment contract, and sick leave is capped at 30 days per year. Workers are also entitled to a return trip to their home country every two years, an entitlement that carries significant weight for the many migrant domestic workers employed across the UAE.
UAE prohibits under-15s from working
Meanwhile, Legit.ng recently reported that the UAE government had announced a strict age restriction for people seeking to work in the country.
Under Article 5 of the UAE Labour Law, the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation does not issue work permits to juveniles below 15 years, regardless of their nationality or residency status.
Source: Legit.ng
