UAE Releases Full List of Acts Employers Are Prohibited From Subjecting Domestic Workers To
- The UAE government published a list of six acts that employers of domestic workers are strictly prohibited from carrying out under federal law
- The prohibitions cover areas ranging from discrimination and sexual harassment to forced labour and physical harm
- UAE law also bars employers from assigning domestic workers tasks not covered in their contract without government approval
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The United Arab Emirates has outlined six specific actions that employers are legally barred from taking against domestic workers, drawing from federal legislation designed to protect one of the country's most vulnerable labour groups.
The information is published on an official UAE government platform and references Federal Decree Law No. 21 of 2023, which amends earlier provisions under Federal Decree Law No. 9 of 2022 concerning domestic workers.
Source: Getty Images
UAE: What employers cannot do to workers
According to the government, the law:
"regulates the recruitment and employment of domestic workers in the UAE" and "defines the responsibilities of both parties in a balanced manner, safeguards their rights and obligations, and ensures a suitable working environment in line with national legislation and international conventions ratified by the UAE."
The following acts are explicitly prohibited under the law:
1. Discrimination based on race, colour, gender, religion, nationality or disability
2. Harassment, whether verbal or physical*
3. Forced labour
4. Exposure to physical harm
5. Assignment of tasks that are not covered under the contract
6. Employing the worker in jobs outside the scope of the law without approval from the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE)
Domestic workers in the UAE
The law applies to a broad category of workers employed within private households, including cleaners, cooks, nannies, drivers, and caregivers. By explicitly naming prohibited conduct, the legislation gives domestic workers a clearer legal basis on which to raise complaints or seek protection.
The requirement for MoHRE approval before a worker can be assigned duties outside the law's scope is particularly notable, as it creates an administrative checkpoint that employers must pass before expanding a worker's responsibilities beyond what was originally agreed.
The UAE's domestic worker legislation places it among the Gulf states that have moved to formalise protections for household staff, a segment of the workforce that has historically operated with limited legal recourse in many countries across the region.
UAE prohibits under-15s from working
Meanwhile, Legit.ng recently reported that the UAE government had clarified the category of people who cannot be issued work permits under the country’s Labour Law.
The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation does not issue work permits to juveniles below 15 years, whether they are UAE nationals or expatriate residents.
Source: Legit.ng
