Midday Work Ban
The UAE has pioneered the countries of the
region in enforcing the midday work ban under sunlight or in open places. The
UAE decree issued in this respect aims at providing decent and appropriate
working environs for the laborers besides adopting/ developing the legislations
that would safeguard laborers’ rights and interests and keep well-balanced
relations with the employers. The decree highlights the UAE leaders’ keenness
to launch and implement human initiatives that would truly reflect the UAE
culture authentic values.
The Ministry of Human Resources and
Emiratisation (MOHRE) has imposed the decree since 2005. It ordered the business
entities to provide a midday break for two consecutive months (from beginning
of July to end of August) to laborers who work under sun light or in open
places. The decree stayed in force until 2009 when the Minister of Human
Resources and Emiratisation, HE Saqr Ghobash, ordered a survey/ questionnaire be conducted to
assess the views of the employees and the employers as regards MOHRE’s plan to
extend the banning period for one extra month.
Target of the counsel
Providing decent and appropriate working
environs for the laborers besides adopting/ developing the legislations that
would safeguard laborers’ rights and interests and keep well-balanced relations
with the employers, which will ensure the employers’ interests and demonstrate
the authentic values of the UAE culture. And to assess the views of the
employees and the employers as regards MOHRE’s plan to extend the banning
period for one extra month
Result
Everybody welcomed the initiative, and MOHRE issued a Ministerial Decree banning work on middays under sun light or in open places during the period extending from June 15th until September 15th.
The decree is a remarkable feature of the UAE labor market as far as the preventive measures taken to protect the laborers from the work hazards are concerned - in light of the extreme heat and meteorological conditions prevailing in the GCC countries during middays in summer.