Employment Conditions in the UAE
Employment in the UAE is governed by labour law and enforced by the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation. Employers must provide written contracts, regulate working hours, ensure safe and respectful workplaces, and comply with equality and non-discrimination obligations.
Key employment conditions include:
- Written terms: All employees must have a written employment contract registered with the Ministry. The contract must set out job description, salary, working hours, benefits, and termination conditions.
- Working hours: Standard working hours are 8 per day or 48 per week, with reduced hours during Ramadan. Any time worked beyond this must be compensated as overtime at statutory rates unless the employee is in an exempt category, such as management.
- Leave and holidays: Employees are entitled to 30 calendar days of annual leave per year of continuous service and 6 public holidays. Unused leave must be paid out on termination.
- Payslips and wage payments: Salaries must be paid at least monthly through the Wage Protection System (WPS). Employers must issue payslips showing a clear breakdown of salary and deductions. Delays of more than 15 days are violations.
- Equality and anti-discrimination: Employers must guarantee equal opportunities and cannot discriminate based on race, colour, sex, religion, national or social origin, or disability. Equal pay for equal work is protected by law.
- Workplace health & safety: Employers must provide safe working conditions, training, and protective equipment in line with occupational health and safety standards.
- Remote work: Remote employees are entitled to the same pay scale, leave, gratuity, and health insurance as on-site staff, unless stated otherwise in the contract
Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBAs)
The UAE does not operate a system of collective bargaining agreements. Employment conditions are instead regulated directly by federal labour law, ministerial decisions, and the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation. This means employee entitlements are set by statute rather than sector-specific agreements.
