A guide in 7 languages to inform workers of their rights and legal obligations

The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE) has issued a guide to inform workers in the private sector of their rights and obligations as stipulated in Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 regulating labour relations and the resolutions implementing it.

The guide, published in seven languages, including Arabic, English, Urdu, Bengali, Chinese, Hindi and Malayalam, raises workers awareness of their rights and obligations during the period before arriving in the UAE and after arriving in the country and performing their job, in addition to a set of instructions after termination of employment.

For the pre-entry stage, the guide provides a set of instructions for the worker, including a full review of the job offer, particularly with regard to the job title, responsibilities, privileges and salary level, as well as a review of the detailed annex attached to the job offer, which contains the rights and obligations set out in the labour relations law in force in the UAE.

The guide illustrates the stage of the worker's arrival in the UAE, including the steps they must take to complete the contracting process. These include, in particular, signing the employment contract agreed with the employer and, the possibility to view and obtain a copy of the contract via the Ministry's website or from one of the Advice and Guidance Centres, as well as retaining his or her identity documents and not paying the fees and costs of recruitment and employment, which are the responsibility of the employer.

The Guide contains a number of instructions for the practise of the profession, including the obligation of the worker to perform the work himself or herself under the direction and supervision of the employer or his or her representative and in accordance with the provisions of the contract, and not to outsource the work to an employee or other person.

The Guide also includes instructions on the observance of good conduct and ethics during work, keeping the means of production and work tools in his custody, maintaining the confidentiality of information and data of which he becomes aware as a result of his work and not disclosing work secrets, and prohibiting him from personally keeping original papers or paper or electronic documents relating to work secrets without the permission of the employer or his representative.

The Guide also provides a set of instructions on when the employment contract is terminated and the steps to follow if either party wishes to terminate the contractual relationship, as well as the steps for filing an employment complaint, which is subject to a number of legal controls and procedures, and the available channels of communication with the Ministry.