Understanding your employee rights is a very important part of living and working in the UAE. Below is the labour law, as published by the UAE Ministry of Labour, with regards to the keeping of employee records and files.
Disclaimer: The following text comes from the UAE Ministry of Labour’s UAE Labour Law.
Employee records and files
Article 53
As amended by Federal Law no. 12 dated 29/10/1986:
The employer employing five or more workers shall observe the following:
1 - Keep a personal file for each worker, mentioning the worker's name, profession or occupation, age, nationality, address, marital status, date of employment, wage and any adjustment thereto, penalties inflicted thereupon, occupational injuries and diseases sustained thereby as well as the date of termination of service and reasons thereof.
2 - Prepare for each worker a leave card deposited with the worker file. Such card shall be divided into three sections: annual leaves, sick leaves and other leaves. The employer or the representative thereof shall record on such card the leaves taken by the worker and such for reference upon the request for any leave.
Article 54
As amended by Federal Law no. 12 dated 29/10/1986:
The employer employing fifteen or more workers shall keep in every work location or branch the following records and documents:
1 - Payroll: In which the names of workers are mentioned in accordance with the date of the employment thereof, as well as the amount of daily, weekly or monthly wage, fringe benefits, or the wage by piece or commission, the days of work and the date of final termination of work.
2 - Occupational Injuries Record: In which occupational injuries and diseases are recorded, and such upon the knowledge thereof.
3 - Basic Work Regulations: It shall contain in particular the daily working hours, the weekly rest period, holidays, as well as the necessary measures and precautions taken for the prevention of occupational injuries and fire hazards. Such regulations shall be placed in a prominent place at the work site. The implementation of such regulations and the amendments thereto shall require the approval thereof by the Labour Department and such within thirty days from the date of submission thereto.
4 - Disciplinary Measures: To be placed in a prominent place at the work site. They shall include the penalties to be imposed on defaulting workers and the conditions and cases of such imposition. The implementation of such measures and the amendments thereto shall require the approval thereof by the Labour Department and such within thirty days from the date of the submission thereof.
Source UAE Ministry of Labour
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Gulf News is not responsible for any amendments made to the UAE Labour Law. All labour disputes must go through the Ministry of Labour. This article simply quotes the UAE MOL.
