Dubai: More than a dozen companies were caught violating the midday break in Dubai this year, officials said on Monday.
The Permanent Committee of Labour Affairs in Dubai (PCLA-Dubai) inspected 54,584 companies in 188 areas in Dubai during the implementation of the midday break rule from June 15 to September 15.
Major General Obaid Muhair Bin Surour, deputy director of the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs-Dubai and chairman of PCLA, said a total of 19 companies out of more than 50,000 companies inspected did not adhere to the midday break rules.
Violators represented 0.03 per cent of the total companies surveyed, proving an almost 100 per cent adherence to the rules.
Major General Bin Surour said that some 24 inspectors in nine inspection patrols from the PCLA, Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation and Dubai Municipality visited companies on a daily basis and reported from the spot to the committee about labourers found on site between 12.30pm and 3pm.
He said the inspectors revisited some companies 722 times.
Colonel Abdul Munaim Al Midawi, coordinator of PCLA, said the PCLA inspectors used smart devices to report violations and to document violations by filming workers found on duty during the banned hours and reporting to the committee from the site in Bur Dubai and Deira. Colonel Al Midawi said PCLA began a campaign in early July to raise awareness among employers about avoiding health risk to their workers and providing them with cool water and juices during rest time.
Violators are fined Dh5,000 per worker and a maximum of Dh50,000 if the case involves a large number of workers.
Daily working hours should not exceed eight hours in the morning and night shift and overtime should be paid to those working additional hours based on Federal Law No 8 of 1980 on Labour Affairs.
