03 Labor Relations in the UAE

A brief overview by realLaw AI

The overview includes guides from MoHRE and analytical materials from realLaw AI.

Key regulation areas

Legislative acts of the UAE regulate key issues of labor relations, such as: rights and obligations of subjects of labor relations; working conditions, social guarantees, benefits and compensations; liability for violation of labor legislation, etc. 

It is worth noting that in recent years the UAE government has introduced regulations of more specialized aspects of labor relations. These include:

• unemployment insurance scheme (Federal Decree-Law No. 13 of 2022),
• wages protection system (Ministerial Decision of MoHRE No. 598 of 2022),
• hiring of domestic staff (Federal Decree-Law No. 9 of 2022, as well as relevant Ministerial and Cabinet Decisions),
• end-of-service benefits (Ministerial Decison of MoHRE No. 668 of 2023) and others.

Also, Emiratisation initiative has become a new trend in the field of labor relations. It aims at increasing the number of employed Emiratis in the private sector.

Regulatory Authorities

At the federal level, labor relations in the UAE are regulated by the laws enacted by the UAE Cabinet and...