UAE closes 84 offices for violating Domestic Workers Law
The offices were continuing to recruit domestic workers despite expiry of licenses
Dubai: The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE) has shut down 84 offices that violated the Domestic Workers Law, it said on Tuesday.
The move, held in coordination with local authorities, aims to safeguard the rights of employers and workers, it added.
MoHRE said some of the companies were carrying on activities despite the expiry of licenses granted to them by the ministry. They were continuing to recruit domestic workers despite being granted enough time to first settle outstanding issues.
Legal action
The ministry warned the owners of the closed offices not to return to practice, explaining that legal action will be taken against these offices, which is to refer them to the Attorney General and fine the owners in accordance with the articles of the law and in accordance with the decision of the Council of Ministers regarding service fees and administrative fines.
Advice for families
MoHRE called on employers and families wishing to hire domestic workers to deal only with the 62 centres in the UAE that are approved by the ministry to practice the activity of bringing in this category of workers, in line with the Domestic Workers Law and its executive regulations, which guarantees the rights of all parties.
These approved recruitment centres provide an integrated package of services designed to meet the needs of employers and families – both Emiratis and expats – in the country.
Know the rules
The centres for the recruitment of domestic workers approved by the MoHRE are obligated to guarantee the domestic worker’s employment for two years.
In the event of any of the stipulated situations arising during the first six months of the contract (which is the probationary period), the full recruitment costs are refunded to the customer, or the customer is entitled to the provision of another domestic worker.
These situations include:
-Termination of the contract by the worker without a legitimate reason
-Lack of fitness of the worker on health grounds
-Inability of failure to accomplish the tasks in the required and agreed manner
The centres are obligated to refund part of the recruitment costs in the post-trial period until the end of the two-year contract, if the worker terminates the contract after the probationary period without a legitimate reason, or leaves work after the probationary period without an acceptable reason.
These partial amounts are calculated according to the remaining period of the contract.