Does your university as a body have a policy on pay scale equity including a commitment to measurement and elimination of gender pay gaps?

Policy Title:	5.m Faculty and Professional Staff Grievance Policy (FSGP)
Policy Number:	FS-PO-5M	Date Created:	12-08-2008
Responsible:	Vice President of Academic Affairs (VPAA) Director of Human Resource & Admin	Approved by:	Board of Trustees

Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to provide due process to resolve the grievances efficiently.

Scope

This policy applies to all the CUD employees.

Policy Statement

Disputes and Discipline Management

Disputes

The Dispute resolution procedure should be employed in the following circumstances:
- Where an employee wishes to rise an issue concerning his/her own terms and conditions of employment.
- Where an employee wishes to raise an issue concerning any aspect of his/her individual working relationships within the University.
- Where an employee is concerned regarding his/her individual working conditions or working situation.
No dispute shall be reviewed if the dispute pertains to an official policy, regulation, or procedure of the CUD or a decision or action by the Board of Trustees, the President; or any matter the remedy for which would contravene or interfere with any such official policy, regulation, procedure, decision, or action; or any law of the UAE.

Informal Resolution

Faculty who wish to bring a dispute under these procedures must first request a meeting with the Dean and attempt to resolve the matter informally within 20 working days of reasonable knowledge of the alleged act or omission.
If a satisfactory resolution is not reached, the complainant may file a dispute in writing with the Dean within 40 working days of reasonable knowledge of the alleged act or omission. If the complaint is filed against the Dean then the dispute must be addressed in writing to the Vice President of Academic Affairs.

First Step

An employee may at any time present a dispute to his immediate supervisor and attempt to resolve the matter informally within (10) ten working days of reasonable knowledge of the alleged act or omission.
The supervisor will review the dispute, discuss it with the employee concerned, and endeavor to effect a satisfactory settlement.
The supervisor will prepare a written report of his findings and the outcome of the discussions with the employee within (5) five working days. The report will be sent to the next higher level of supervision.
If the immediate supervisor is involved in the dispute, employee should address the dispute in writing to the Dean/department head.
The Dispute shall include:
- A concise description of the act or omission,
- All facts relevant to the Dispute,
- The resolution sought,
- Evidence of attempted informal resolution,
- All arguments in support of the desired solution, and
- Relevant supporting documentation.
- The burden rests upon the employee filing a Dispute to provide clear and convincing evidence

Second Step

If a satisfactory settlement is not reached within (5) five working days, the employee’s immediate supervisor or the employee may refer the matter to the dean/department head.
The Dean/department head will hear the employee’s dispute, review its circumstances and furnish a reply to the employee within a total period of (10) ten working days from the date of the dispute.
The dean/department head will investigate the matter and the employee will be notified of the decision in writing (10) ten working days.
A written report of the action taken will be submitted to the VPAA and Director Human Resources.

Third Step

If the decision under the second step is not acceptable to the employee, both parties will write separately to the VPAA & Director Human Resources stating their views on the matter.
The VPAA & Director Human Resources will investigate the matter and the employee will be notified of the decision in writing (10) ten working days.
If the matter is not resolved to the employee’s satisfaction, the employee may appeal in writing to the President.
The President shall investigate and notify the Grievant, the Respondent, and the dean/department head, VPAA and HR the decision in writing, within 20 working days of receipt of the appeal. The decision of the President is final and not subject to appeal.
At any stage during the dispute process, any party may refer the dispute for Disciplinary action if the dispute indicates any breach of the code of conduct.

Federal Decree-Law No. (47) of 2021

Regarding the Unified General Rules of Labor in the United Arab Emirates

Article (4)

Equality and non-discrimination

Discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, national or social origin, or because of disability among persons, shall be prohibited, which would weaken the equal opportunities or prejudice equality in getting a job, work, continuing it and having its rights. The discrimination in the works with the same job duties shall be prohibited.

The rules and procedures that will enhance the participation of the state’s citizens in the labor market shall not represent discrimination as per the provisions of this Article.

Gender equality in the workplace

The Labour Law provides that the female worker shall be granted the same wage as the man if she were performing the same work. The Law on Equal Wages and Salaries for Men and Women ensures that women’s rights are protected and they have equal job opportunities. In addition, the Gender Balance Council recommends integrating gender into policies and programmes and implementing gender balance in leadership positions amongst other actions to bring gender balance at workplace.

Law on equal wages for women and men

In 2018, the UAE Cabinet approved a law on equal wages and salaries for women and men. The law is in line with the government’s objective to ensure the protection of women’s rights and support their role in the process of national development.

It is also a part of the strategy for the initiative of empowerment of Emirati Women launched by Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Al Nahyan, the President of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood and Supreme Chairwoman of the Family Development Foundation.

Article 4 of the UAE labour law already provides that the female worker shall be granted a wage equal to that as the man is earning if she were performing the same work. This way, the UAE strives to empower and promote the social inclusion of all.

Mohammed bin Rashid approves new Law on Equal Pay

The UAE Cabinet has approved the issuance of the Law on Equal Wages and Salaries for Men and Women to ensure that women have equal opportunities as partners in the UAE’s development, and to further empower women to lead future national strategies and ambitious projects His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, said that since the Founding Father of the UAE, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, has recognised the importance of establishing gender balance and its long-term positive social and economic effects.

The UAE Government has been consolidating efforts to narrow the gender gap. In 2015, the UAE Council for Gender Balance was established to position UAE among the leading countries in the world in terms of gender balance.

Since its inception, the government of the UAE had full awareness of the importance of establishing gender balance and the long-term positive impacts. The UAE continues to pioneer in the involvement of women in the development process through the issuance of the new Law.

The Cabinet’s approval of the Law on Equal Wages and Salaries comes in line with the government’s objective to ensure the protection of women’s rights and support their role in the national development process. The Law is also part of the Strategy for the Empowerment of Emirati Women launched by H.H. Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, Chairwoman of the General Women’s Union, President of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood, and Supreme Chairwoman of the Family Development Foundation.

How companies in Middle East approach diversity, equality and inclusion?

Current efforts are not limited to just hiring, but also include investing in developing female talent to build up diverse pipelines, opines Maliha Jilani, member of the global social impact practice and partner at Heidrick & Struggles (Dubai)

Why is diversity, inclusion and equality (DI&E) important to the economy?

Increasing the diversity of the workforce by boosting female labour participation will likely improve the region’s competitiveness. Access to a wider talent pool will help to fill gaps in industries like technology, while the inclusion of more varied and diverse perspectives can be key for businesses to thrive and survive in the current landscape.

Many studies have shown that diversity drives innovation and the development of new solutions, so welcoming more women to the workforce will strengthen the region’s competitive position.

How are businesses and companies in the Middle East approaching DI&E?

One big advantage the Middle East has is a rich cultural footprint. With various markets welcoming expatriates to the talent pool, we’re already fortunate to leverage the diversity that comes from different nationalities and experiences. As for gender diversity, we’re seeing more company-led efforts and initiatives. This includes flexible working arrangements and maternity policies that encourage and support women to enter, stay, and return to the workforce.

International, as well as local companies in the Middle East are increasingly building gender equality into their hiring and promotion process. Unconscious bias training is also being implemented. Additionally, more companies are paying attention to planning for the future. Current efforts are not limited to just hiring, but also include investing in developing female talent to build up diverse pipelines.

Diversity, equality and inclusion efforts must be driven at the top and it’s promising to note that many boards are putting female representation high on the agenda and taking steps to nurture women in their workforce. It’s likely that we’ll see this trajectory continue as organizations strive toward balancing their teams with more diversity.

What are the challenges impacting DI&E in regional organizations?

One of the challenges that we see both in the region and the global landscape is developing women to grow and take on senior positions. While there is a relatively strong pipeline of female talent available, their participation substantially decreases higher up the ranks. So, what we need to do is identify ways to keep women in the workforce, enabling them to grow in their careers.

This is where mentorship can play an important role, providing women with supportive female leaders that they can look up to as role models to learn from. And beyond mentorship, promising female talents will also benefit from sponsorship.

Essentially, having advocates who will represent their voices and influence change on their behalf. To grow the female talent pool and effectively help them rise to the C-suite, the combination of mentorship, sponsorship and female role models will be critical to ensuring they are visible at every level.

What tools can you use to practice diversity and equality in an organization?

Incorporating diversity and equality into an organization’s DNA is not a straightforward task. There are four principles that form an effective framework to promote DI&E in an organization.

1. Purposeful leadership: Leaders must connect efforts to strategic business priorities and outcomes. The executive leadership team plays the most important part to lead, role model, and be key sponsors of the DI&E efforts.

2. Personal change: Leaders may need to address blind spots and change some personal behavior to foster an inclusive culture. For example, being part of an employee resource group that an executive does not immediately identify with can be a great way for the leader to get insight into the experience of underrepresented employees.

3. Broad engagement: Leaders should quickly engage the entire organization by role modelling and encouraging new ways of behavior that will create a sense of belonging for all.

4. Systemic alignment: Across levels, inadvertent systemic preferences and biases, and non-inclusive practices and policies must be identified and removed.

How can companies in the region speed up the process of being more diverse and inclusive?

While progress has been made over the years to improve gender diversity in the Middle East through company-led initiatives and also through government mandates (For example, in 2021, the UAE Security and Commodities Authority issued a mandate that listed companies must have at least one woman on their board of directors) for the region to truly achieve diversity, there is more work to be done.

Organizations need to commit to more inclusive practices to empower women with the time and opportunity to join or return to the workforce and be able to commit to upskilling programs. For example, according to McKinsey’s Women at Work Middle East report, the lack of access to childcare can hinder women from working after becoming mothers as they are often the primary family caregiver.

Additionally, PwC’s 2022 survey on MENA Women in Work reveals that 94 per cent of women prioritise work-life balance and training and development opportunities. Hence, it’s clear that to attract and retain capable women, organisations need to set the tone of promoting diversity from the top of the organisation, embed diversity and inclusion strategies throughout the organisation, and hold the management accountable for delivering on these strategies.

This includes efforts to provide a supportive environment and facilities for women in the office, implementing flexible/remote work arrangements, enhancing support for childcare or eldercare, and of course, creating structured mentorship and training programmes to support female professionals as they grow and advance in their careers.

If the private and public sector each continue to do their part and drives efforts to improve female representation, the expanded talent pool and increased diversity will undeniably contribute to a more resilient Middle East economy.

Major private sector companies in UAE pledge to put women in 30% of top roles

Eighteen major companies operating in the UAE have pledged to ensure women are in 30 per cent of leadership roles by 2025.

The initiative aims to boost the number of women in managerial positions from the current rate of about 16 per cent within three years.

It will also hasten efforts to achieve UN Sustainable Development Goal 5 – on gender equality and the empowerment all women and girls.

A pledge was overseen by the UAE Gender Balance Council, the UAE’s National Committee on Sustainable Development Goals and the UAE’s Private Sector Advisory Council.

“The Covid-19 pandemic has demonstrated the need to work together to come up with innovative solutions to some complex challenges facing our world,” said Mona Al Marri, vice president of the UAE Gender Balance Council.

“It has also demonstrated the extent to which women are affected by crises, noting that there are real gender gaps in leadership positions across the world, with women occupying only 22 per cent of CEO-level leadership positions.

“We need to escalate efforts to increase the number of women in senior and middle management roles, as more women in leadership means stronger organisational performance and thriving economies.”

The commitment to equality in the workplace included efforts to ensure equal pay and fair compensation, promote gender-equitable recruitment and promotion, ensure gender balance through policies and programmes and be transparent about progress with fellow signatories and government.

Globally, 22 per cent of top senior executive level positions are held by women, while in women make up 25 per cent of international leadership roles.

Blue chip companies committed to increasing the number of women in high-ranking boardroom positions include Majid Al Futtaim, Masdar, the Dubai Multi Commodities Centre, Dubai Holding, Unilever, Standard Chartered Bank, Mastercard, Michelin, UPS, General Motors, Schneider Electric, PepsiCo, Mondelez International, BASF, Mars, Nestle and General Mills.

Since the UAE Gender Balance Council was established in 2015, several measures have been taken to improve equality in job opportunity and female representation in key government positions.

In 2019, a directive was issued to increase female representation in the Federal National Council to 50 per cent.

The move placed the UAE among leading countries in terms of female parliamentary representation.

Since 2020, government figures show 77 per cent of Emirati women now enrol in further education. Furthermore, women make up 70 per cent of all university graduates in the UAE.

The country is now ranked first regionally for female empowerment on the UN Gender Equality Index, and 18th globally, while a dedicated Women’s Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai is committed to addressing gender issues.

“Eliminating obstacles to gender equality is essential to achieving economic prosperity, social stability and sustainable growth,” said Sheikha Manal bint Mohammed, president of the Dubai Women Establishment.

“We are confident that the private sector will keep pace with the achievements made in government in this field, and this initiative constitutes an inspiring model for all private institutions in the country.”

Pioneering employment changes in the UAE with a new labour law

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) recently enacted Federal Decree No. 33 of 2021 regulating labour relations (New Labour Law) to govern employment and employment relationships in the private sector in the UAE. This is particularly exciting as it is the first piece of major legislative change in employment law in the UAE in a long time, and it brings substantial changes in the employment landscape of the UAE. The New Labour Law will come into effect on 2 February 2022.

This legislation replaces Federal Labour Law No. 8 of 1980 (as amended), which has governed employment relationships in the UAE for the last 41 years. The New Labour Law is groundbreaking in that a lot of the concepts introduced are not common in this area of the world and that it is the first law of its kind in the region.

The New Labour Law will not apply in the free zone areas – the Dubai International Financial Centre and the Abu Dhabi Global Market – that form separate jurisdictions from the rest of the UAE (and have their own employment laws). It will, however, apply in all other free zones in the UAE, and it is likely to cause the free zone areas to update their own labour and employment regulations.

Executive Regulations further detailing the new law’s provisions are still to be issued.

What are the features of the New Labour Law?

Key changes in the New Labour Law include:

Introduction of equality and non-discrimination.

The New Labour Law introduces the concepts of equality and non-discrimination rights. Discrimination on the grounds of race, colour, sex, religion, nationality, social origin or disability is prohibited. Equal opportunities and equal pay (in particular, a woman’s right to be paid the same wage as a man if she performs the same work or work of equal value) are protected under the New Labour Law.

New categories of employees.

The New Labour Law caters for different categories of employees, such as full-time employees, part-time employees and employees who work on a temporary or flexible basis. It provides for specific protections and obligations for each such category. This is a welcome development in a diversified economy such as that of the UAE.

No more unlimited employment contracts.

The concept of fixed-term vs. unlimited term contracts is removed and the new law provides that all employment contracts must be for a specific period not exceeding three years. This is extendable or renewable and these extensions (which can also be implied if the parties continue with the employment arrangement without explicitly renewing the employment) count towards the period of continuous employment. This change aligns the duration of employment contracts with that of standard employment-based residence visas.

No forced labour, sexual harassment, bullying and violence.

Forced labour is prohibited, as are sexual harassment, bullying or any verbal, physical or psychological violence against employees. These kinds of provisions have not been specifically dealt with before, and it is encouraging to see that the UAE is taking these situations seriously and the law is protecting these basic human rights.

Enhanced maternity leave.

Maternity leave has been increased from 45 days to 60 days (with the first 45 days being on full pay and the next 15 days on half pay). Female workers can also be absent from work after maternity leave for up to 45 consecutive or intermittent days for medically certified illness (the employee or her child) resulting from pregnancy or childbirth. Breastfeeding mothers can also take two 30-minute breaks during the workday for up to six months.

Introduction of parental leave.

In addition to maternity leave, the law also provides (for the first time) for five working days’ parental leave (which can be taken by the father or the mother).

Change to the statutory notice period.

The statutory notice period (minimum 30 days) for termination of contracts now has a maximum length of 90 days. This is likely to impact existing senior management contracts that provide for longer notice periods, sometimes as a way of securing non-competition protection for employees. Given the refinement of express permission of non-competition restrictive covenants in the new law, it is likely that negotiations will be in order to amend contracts with longer notice periods to provide for a combination of shorter notice periods and non-competition restrictions.

Faster payment of end of services benefits.

Under the New Labour Law, employers have to pay employees’ end of service payments within 14 days of the termination date. This is a welcome change for employees who, in certain circumstances, have seen their end of service gratuity payments partly or entirely delayed. Employers should ensure they make appropriate accounting provisions to have sufficient funds available to make payments when due.

Exemption from legal fees for small employment claims.

In the event of labour cases brought by employees, no judicial fees are payable (at all stages of litigation) where the value of the case is less than AED 100,000. This change eliminates a barrier to legal proceedings for employees with reduced financial means.

Additional leave of absence rights for employees.

New leave rights have been introduced. They include mourning (bereavement) leave of three days in the event of the death of a father, mother, grandfather, grandmother, son, brother, sister or grandchild, starting from the date of death. The new leave rights also include study leave of ten days for any employee taking exams (subject to the employee having completed at least two years of employment with the relevant employer, and for UAE national employees, leave to perform national and reserve service.

The New Labour Law extensively refers to Executive Regulations that are yet to be issued. It is expected that, when published, they will provide further clarification on a number of the new changes, including their interpretation and implementation.

New UAE Labour Law: Women should get equal pay for equal work

Dubai: The UAE will soon see the implementation of a new labour law, with Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 on the regulation of Labour Relations replacing Federal Law No. 8 of 1980 and its amendments.

The new law will come into force on February 2, 2022 and one of the first few articles in it focuses on ensuring that employees do not face any kind of discrimination at the workplace, with the right to non-discrimination and equality highlighted in Article 4.

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The first clause of the article ensures that no one working in the private sector faces discrimination on the ground of race, colour, sex, religion, nationality or ethnicity. Subsequent clauses also specify the rights of female employees, with Clause no. 4 stipulating that women should receive the same wage as men for the same work, or for a work of equal value.

The detailed procedures, controls and standards of assessment of work of equal value will be established by decision of the Cabinet, upon the proposal of the Minister of Human Resources and Emiratisation, according to the clause.

Here is a detailed look at what the article states:

ARTICLE (4) – Equality; Non-Discrimination

It shall be prohibited to discriminate against persons on the ground of race, colour, sex religion, national origin, ethnic origin or disability, in such a way as to weaken equal opportunities or impair equal access to, or continuation of, or enjoyment of rights associated with, employment. An Employer shall not discriminate in respect of works involving the same job duties.
Rules and procedures that would enhance the contribution of UAE citizens in the labour market shall not be regarded as discrimination.
Without prejudice to the rights prescribed for female Workers under this Decree Law, female Workers shall be subject to all provisions regulating employment of Workers without any discrimination.
Women shall receive the same wage as men for the same work, or for a work of equal value. Procedures, controls and standards for assessment of Work of equal value shall be established by decision of the Cabinet, upon the proposal of the Minister.

CUD Faculty Handbook – Job Evaluation

All jobs shall be evaluated using the University evaluation system.
All pay and allowances are related to appropriate salary grade.
The VPA will be approving all Job evaluations.

CUD Salary Scale

The salary scale of CUD based on the government employment laws in the UAE, increases each year by a percentage and by factors such as the time an employee has been working or if he is promoted to a promotion in a higher ranking job, depending on the position in which the employee performs and the complexity, the salary increases or varies, in addition, CUD takes into account the accommodation of some workers outside the university where CUD subsidizes housing to make it easier for employees or staff members to carry out their work. The salary scale ensures transparency and equity in payment for employees and staff members.

CUD staff and administrative salary.

Canadian University Dubai has a salary scale that is described in the “Faculty Handbook”, this salary scale is based on the merits of each employee or staff member as well as the laws of the UAE. CUD ensures its employees total transparency in the calculation of salaries and without being based on discrimination, gender or a third condition.

Within the CUD Handbook, the terms and definitions of what is a basic salary at the University are specified and how the work evaluations are carried out by which the basic salaries are calculated.

Basic Salary

Faculty will receive a normal basic salary as per the approved salary scale of the University. Basic salary is fixed in terms of the contract for the duration of the contract.

Visiting Faculty will receive a normal basic salary as per the approved salary scale of the University
Part-time Faculty will receive are contracted on an hourly basis and will re remunerated as per the approved scale for Part-time faculty.
Full Time Faculty members who hold rare terminal degrees and are employed on a permanent basis with the University, may be granted a higher step of base pay within the job band, rest of the terms of employment contract will remain unchanged.

CUD Faculty Handbook – Basic Salary

Faculty will receive a normal basic salary as per the approved salary scale of the University. Basic salary is fixed in terms of the contract for the duration of the contract.
Visiting Faculty will receive a normal basic salary as per the approved salary scale of the University.
Part-time Faculty will receive are contracted on an hourly basis and will re remunerated as per the approved scale for Part-time faculty.
Full Time Faculty members who hold rare terminal degrees and are employed on a permanent basis with the University, may be granted a higher step of base pay within the job band, rest of the terms of employment contract will remain unchanged.

The Department of Human Resources and Administration at CUD

The Department of Human Resources and Administration of the Canadian University Dubai. CUD trust our employees and the leadership of our university. The goals are to define an organizational structure that drives productivity, to develop effective coordination and communication within the organization, to spend time finding the right people and developing their skill bases, and to embrace broader social and ethical developments. Our goal is to promote flexibility, innovation, competitive advantage, develop a fit-for-purpose organizational culture, and improve performance on a daily basis. The Department of Human Resources and Administration focuses on success and building high levels of loyalty to the university. Our responsibility is to establish knowledge and knowledge of the regulations, statutes and applications of human resources and administrative matters to regulate the relationship between the university and its employees. We also provide the elements that are capable of achieving the objectives of the university and promote the optimal investment in the human element to be a competition magnet in the world that seeks to join us.

Objectives:

Human resources department is keen to use the quality mechanisms in their work to meet the university employees’ interests which is one of the objectives of management to achieve job satisfaction among all employees of the university which will enable them to contribute in achieving the vision of the university.

Tasks & Services

Training and staff development.
Security and safety.
Ensuring compliance with labor laws.
Identifying work needs.
Planning career tracks.
Managing promotions process.

Employment:

Polarization.
Appointment.
Evaluating staff performance.

Salaries and Wages:

Employees’ salaries.
Rewards and incentives.
Secondments.

Labor Rights (Foreign Workers)

The advancement and protection of the rights of workers is a national priority. The UAE is considered a significant recipient of foreign labour due to the country’s open policies and tolerant and cosmopolitan community. According to the World Bank, foreign workers in the UAE sent home more than USD 29 billion in 2014 – almost all of which went to developing countries – making the UAE the third-largest source of remittances globally. This income then benefits workers’ families and home country economies.

In furtherance of its commitment to upholding labour rights, the UAE has ratified nine major International Labour Organization conventions related to workers’ rights. Furthermore, it has adopted numerous laws to protect workers’ rights, including recruitment, pay, housing, and health. In addition, the UAE has also signed multiple Memoranda of Understanding with workers’ home countries to promote cooperation in protecting the rights of their workers in the UAE.

Domestically, the UAE is continuously working to strengthen worker protections. In 2017, the UAE implemented broad measures supporting overseas domestic workers (Federal Law Number 10 of 2017), guaranteeing individuals the right to retain personal documents and passports, change employers with greater ease, and receive mandated paid leave and insurance and accommodation. In addition, the reforms focus on improving the transparency of job terms and employment contracts and spell out how contracts can be terminated.

Under these policies, prospective workers are asked to sign a standard employment offer in their home country that will, in turn, be filed with the Ministry of Labor before a work permit is issued. That agreement is then registered as a legal contract once the worker arrives in the country. After that, no changes will be allowed unless they extend additional benefits to which the worker agrees. After that, either side can terminate the contract, after which the worker is free to change employers.

Furthermore, charging recruitment fees to prospective employees is illegal in the UAE, and steps have been taken to protect workers from unscrupulous recruiters. The confiscation of workers’ passports is prohibited, and workers do not need their employer’s permission to leave the country. All workers must be provided with comprehensive health insurance at the employer’s cost, and strict rules govern the provision of proper accommodation. More than 3.2 million workers are paid through the Wage Protection System, an electronic transfer system that guarantees timely and fullpayment of agreed wages.

Should any worker have a conflict with their employer, the law also provides free, formal adjudication by the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratization. Furthermore, a 24-hour toll-free hotline allows workers to file complaints. In addition, the UAE has established offices in courts to provide legal support to workers in labour disputes, and labour care units have been established across the UAE to provide protection for workers and raise awareness of their rights.

Enforcement of worker protections has intensified, and substantial penalties have been imposed for violations relating to working conditions and workers’ rights.

Safeguarding domestic workers

In service of domestic workers, Federal Law Number 10 of 2017 also ensures that workers are aware of the contract terms before departure from their home country and includes fundamental entitlements and provisions, such as weekly rest and 30 days of paid annual leave. In addition, the law strictly regulates recruitment agencies’ work to avoid any form of abuse, such as payment of commission in exchange for employment. Moreover, the law sets out essential prohibitions, such as the ban of employment of minors, and includes anti-discrimination clauses.

The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation has also licensed 37 centres called Tawjeeh. The centres inform workers about their rights and responsibilities and teach the UAE’s culture and customs.

The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation has also established 39 service centres across the country. These centres, called Tadbeer, offer training for domestic workers to know their rights and responsibilities, and provide them with copies of their employment contracts.

Payment of salaries (wages)

Paying wages on the due date is the responsibility of every employer. Private sector employers should ensure to pay their staff’s salaries through the Wages Protection System to avoid penalties and fines.

When employers should pay salaries?

In the UAE, workers employed in return for an annual or a monthly wage must receive their salaries once a month on due dates and no later than 10 days after the end of each salary period. If such periods are not mentioned in the contract, the employer must pay the employee once every 14 days.

Payment must be in the national currency of the UAE and must be done on working days.

Minimum wages

There is no minimum salary stipulated in the UAE Labour Law, however it broadly mentions that salaries must cover basic needs of the employees.

Article 63 of the Labour law mentions that the minimum wage and cost of living index is determined either in general or for a particular area or a particular profession by virtue of a decree and consent of the Cabinet.

Basic salary and total salary

The UAE Labour Law does not provide any guidelines on the percentage of the basic salary to be paid by the employer. So it is at the discretion of the company to decide this percentage and the employee may negotiate, accept or not.

Section IV: Wages

Article 55

Wages shall be paid in legal tender on a working day, at the place of work, in the official national currency.

Article 56

Workers employed on yearly or monthly wage basis shall be paid at least once a month; all other workers shall be paid at least once every two weeks.

Article 57

The daily wage of workers employed on piecemeal basis shall be calculated as an equivalent to the average wage received for actual days of work during the six months preceding the termination of his service.

Article 58

Evidence of payment to workers of their due wages, irrespective of their amount or nature, shall not be admissible unless it is in the form of documentary proof, admission or oath.. Any agreement to the contrary shall be null and void, albeit made prior to the date this Law comes into force.

Article 59

Workers shall not be required to purchase food or other commodities at any particular shop, or of employer’s produce.

Article 60

No amount of money may be deducted from a worker’s wage in respect of private claims, except in the following cases:

Repayment of loans or money advances paid to the worker in excess of his entitlements, provided that the amount deducted in this case shall not exceed 10 per cent of his wage.
Contributions that the workers are required by law to make from their wages, towards social security and insurance schemes.
The worker’s contributions to a provident fund or repayment of loans due thereto.
Contributions towards any welfare scheme or in respect of any other privileges or services provided by the employer and approved by the labour department.
Fines imposed upon the worker for any offence he commits.
Any debt exacted in execution of a court ruling, provided, however, that the deduction made in execution thereof should not exceed one-quarter of the wage due to the worker. Where there are several debts or creditors, the maximum deduction shall be half the worker’s wage, which shall be divided pro rata among the creditors, after payment of any legal alimony to the extent of one quarter of the worker’s wage.

Article 61

Where a worker, either through his own fault or as a result of violating the employer’s instructions, causes a loss, damage or destruction to any tools, machines, products or materials that are owned by or in the custody of the employer, the employer may deduct from the worker’s wage such amount as may be necessary for repair or restoration, provided that the amount so deducted shall not exceed five days’ wage for each month. However, the employer, through the concerned labour department, may request the competent court for permission to deduct a higher amount if the worker has money or any other source of income.

Article 62

An employer may not transfer a monthly-paid worker, without his written consent, to the daily, weekly, hourly or piecemeal paid category.

Article 63

The minimum wage and the cost-of-living index payable to workers in general or in a particular area or occupation shall be fixed by a federal decree based on a proposal to be made by the Minister of Labour and Social Affairs and approved by the Council of Ministers. The Minister shall put forward his proposal for determining, or reviewing, the minimum wage, after consulting the competent authorities and the labour organisations of workers and employers, if any, and after having reference to studies and tables of fluctuations in the cost of living indices drawn up by the competent authorities in the State, to ensure that the said minima are sufficient to meet the worker’s basic needs and guarantee his livelihood.

Article 64

The minimum wage rates and any amendments thereto shall take effect from the date the decree announcing them is published in the official Gazette.

Air Ticket:

Article 131

Upon expiry of contract, the employer shall bear the cost of the worker’s repatriation to his point of hire or to any other point that was mutually agreed upon. Where a worker joins another employer upon expiry of his contract, the latter shall bear the cost of the worker’s repatriation at the end of his service. Without prejudice to the foregoing, if the employer fails to return the worker or to pay his repatriation expenses, the competent authorities shall do so at the employer’s expense and may then recover any expenditure incurred in this connection by attachment. Where the reason for the termination of the contract is attributable to the worker, his repatriation shall be at his own expense if he has the means to pay.

Article 131 (repeated 1)

For the purpose of the preceding Article, the worker’s “repatriation expenses” refers to the value of his travel ticket as well as the travel expenses of his family and the cost of shipping of his personal effects, as stipulated in the Labour contract or the firm’s policies.
A worker who is provided with accommodation by his employer shall vacate it within thirty days from the date of termination of his service.
The worker shall not overstay in the accommodation beyond the specified period for any reason, provided, however, that the employer pays the worker the following:
- the expenses specified in paragraph 1 of this Article
- severance pay and any other entitlements the employee is bound to pay in accordance with the employment contract, the firm’s policies, or the law.
if the worker contests the amount of the expenses and entitlements referred to above, the Labour Department concerned shall urgently determine these expenses and entitlements within a week from notification, and shall promptly inform the worker accordingly.
In this case, the thirty-day grace period referred to in paragraph 2 of this Article shall be calculated to run from the date on which the employer deposits the value of the expenses and entitlements, as determined by the Labour Departments concerned, with the Ministry of Labour’s treasury. If the worker does not vacate the accommodation within the said thirty-day period, the Labour Department, with the assistance of the authorities concerned in the Emirate, shall take the necessary administrative measures for eviction.
The provisions of this Article shall not prejudice the worker’s right to contest its application before the competent court.

Article 131 (repeated 2)

Employer shall submit to the competent labour department a bank guarantee whose type, value, submission procedures, firms and companies to whom it is applicable, and other relevant terms shall be specified in a Council of Ministers’ resolution. This guarantee shall be used to ensure optimum fulfilment of employer’s obligations provided for under Articles 131 and 131 (repeated), of this Law. 2. Deduction of any amount from the bank guarantee referred to in paragraph 1 hereof shall be based on a court judgment, with the exception of the following:
- Cost of a worker’s repatriation to his country of origin or the point agreed upon with the employer.
- The amounts that the employer admits before the competent labour court that they are due to the worker. In these two cases, the Ministry reserves the right to deduct such entitlements from the guarantee referred to in paragraph 1 hereof and pay to the worker in fulfilment of his established dues.

Allowances

Article 134

Without prejudice to the provisions of laws that grant pensions or retirement benefits to employees in certain firms, severance pay shall be calculated on the basis of the wage last due for monthly, weekly and daily paid workers, and on the basis of the average daily wage referred to in Article 57 hereof for those paid on piecemeal. The wage used as a basis for calculating severance pay shall not include whatever is given to the worker in kind, housing allowance, transport allowance, travel allowance, overtime pay, representation allowance, cashier’s allowances, children education UAE Labour Law 29 allowance, allowances for recreational and social facilities, and any other bonuses or allowances.