Abu Dhabi: The Ministry of Labour stressed that it will adopt transparent methods with employers to verify whether any violations were committed by companies before enforcing any fines.

The ministry also announced that starting on Wednesday, it will implement the fines specified in Cabinet resolution No 10 of 2012, which amends some provisions of Cabinet Decision No 27 of 2010 regarding fees and fines levied for services offered by the ministry.

According to the amended law, a fine of Dh1,000 will be levied for every month’s delay in failure to renew labour cards after the lapse of 60 days from the date of entry or expiry date.

The ministry will levy a Dh100 fine for every day’s delay in the issuance of a mission labour card, and a Dh100 fine for every day’s delay from those who fail to renew the mission card.

Companies indulging in fake emiratisation targets will be fined Dh20,000 for every ghost worker, and a Dh20,000 fine for every case in which incorrect information is entered into the wage protection system.

Mubarak Saeed Al Daheri, Undersecretary at the Ministry of Labour, said that emiratisation is at the forefront of the national plan’s priorities, and that receives all forms of support from the UAE leadership. He pointed out that ‘ghost’ emiratisation is forbidden under any circumstances, and that is in line with the ministry’s keenness to ensure that Emiratis are employed in the private sector so they can actively contribute to the development process.

Companies that delay the payment of a worker’s wages for 60 days face fines of up to Dh5,000 per worker, and in cases where multiple workers have not been paid, the maximum fine that can be imposed on a company is Dh50,000. A Dh5,000 fine per worker will be issued for fake worker-signed receipts that they have acquired their wages, with a maximum limit of Dh50,000 in cases that involve multiple workers.

A Dh20,000 fine will be issued for providing labour accommodations that do not meet the standards set by the ministry. Companies will be fined Dh20,000 for not using a worker for a period of two months.

Al Daheri said that providing a safe work environment that ensures the safety of employees helps reflect positively on the productivity of employees, which therefore also benefits the employer. He added that providing health and safety standards in an employee’s accommodation and workplace is in line with national laws and international agreements.