Ministerial decree (764) of 2015 on Ministry of Labour-approved Standard Employment Contracts
The Minister of Labour:
Upon consulting Federal Law (8) of 1980 and its amendments governing labour relations; and Council of Ministers’ Decree (40) of 2014 on fees and penalties associated with Ministry of Labour provided services.
Decrees:
Article (1)
The employment contract specimen is henceforth adopted for use as a Standard Employment Contract. Tentative approval to admit a foreign worker for the purpose of employment in the UAE cannot be granted until an employment offer that conforms with the Standard Employment Contract is presented to and duly signed by the worker.
Article (2)
If the worker is in the UAE, the worker must duly sign the employment offer, as stipulated in Article (1) before the employer applies for tentative approval to employ the worker.
Article (3)
The Standard Employment Contract referenced in Article (1) must be used upon renewing contracts that are in force prior to the issuance of this Decree.
Article (4)
The employer must retrieve from the Ministry system a standard contract that captures exactly the terms of the employment offer and obtain the worker’s signature on the contract prior to presenting the contract for registration with the Ministry. No alteration or substitution of terms may be entered unless such alteration or substitution benefits the worker and after the alteration or substitution is approved by both the worker and the Ministry.
Article (5)
No new clauses may be added to the Standard Contract referenced in Article (1) unless they are consistent and compliant with the Ministry’s legal requirements, do not conflict with other clauses of the Standard Contract and are approved by the Ministry.
Article (6)
This Decree shall be published in the Official Gazette and become effective on January 1, 2016.
By Saqr Ghobash, Minister of Labour
Issued in Abu Dhabi on September 27, 2015
