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 end-of-service gratuity pay.
Disclaimer: The following text comes from the UAE Ministry of Labour’s UAE Labour Law.
Safety, protection, health and social care
Article 91
The employer shall provide the workers with the adequate protection means against hazards of occupational injuries and diseases that may occur during the work, as well as against fire and other hazards resulting from the use of machines and other work tools. The employer shall also adopt all other safety measures set by the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, and the worker shall use the safety gear and clothing supplied thereto for such purpose, abide by all instructions of the employer aiming at the protection thereof from hazards, and refrain from carrying out any work that may hinder the execution of such instructions.
Article 92
Every employer shall display in a prominent place in the work site detailed instructions related to the measures taken for the prevention of fire and the protection of workers from the hazards that they may face during their performance of their work. Such instructions shall be in Arabic and in another language that the worker understands, whenever necessary.
Article 93
Every employer shall set one or more first aid boxes containing medicines, bandages, antiseptics and other first aid materials set by the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs. A box shall be allocated to every one hundred workers, and shall be placed in a prominent location within the easy reach of the workers, and the use thereof shall be entrusted to a specialist in first aid procedures.
Article 94
Without prejudice to the provisions of the regulations and decisions issued by the competent governmental authorities, the employer shall provide the work location with complete cleanliness and ventilation. He shall provide such locations with the proper lighting, drinking water and toilets.
Article 95
The employer shall entrust one or more physicians with the complete examination of the workers thereof liable to contract an occupational disease set in the schedule enclosed herewith once every six months at most in a periodic manner. The employer shall also record the result of such examination in the records thereof and in the files of such workers.
The physicians must notify the employer and the Labour Department immediately of the cases of occupational diseases appearing among workers, and the deaths resulting there from after verification thereof through necessary medical and practical researches. The employer shall in turn notify the Labour Department thereof.
The physician undertaking the periodic examination may request the re-examination of any worker having contracted an occupational disease after a period shorter than the periodic period provided for in the first paragraph of the present Article, should he find that his condition so requires.
Article 96
The employer shall provide the workers with the medical care means in accordance with the standards determined by the Minister of Health and Social Affairs, and in conjunction with the Minister of Health.
Article 97
The Minister of Labour and Social Affairs, after the consultation of the Minister of Health, shall determine by virtue of decisions issued thereby the general precautions and health safety measures applied in all establishments employing workers, especially with regards to the safety measures, lighting, ventilation, food courts, drinking water, cleanliness and the elimination of dust and smoke and the specification of the precautions to be taken against fire and electrical current.
Article 98
The employer or the representative thereof shall inform the worker upon the employment thereof of the hazards of the job and safety measures by which he must abide. He shall post detailed written instructions in this regard in the work place.
Article 99
Employers, agents thereof or any person with authority upon the worker may not bring or allow anyone to bring any type of alcoholic beverages to the workplace for consumption. Furthermore, they may not allow any person to enter into the establishment or remain therein while drunk.
Article 100
The worker shall abide by the orders and instructions related to industrial security and safety precaution. He shall use safety measures and commit to treat such devices in his possession with due care. The worker shall be prohibited from carrying out any actions entailing the non execution of the said instruction, the ill use of the means set for the protection of the health and safety of the workers, or the harm and destruction of such means.
The employer shall include in the disciplinary measures penalties inflicted upon every worker contradicting the provisions set in the preceding paragraph.
Article 101
Every employer with employees in remote areas not covered by regular means of transportation must provide them with the following services:
1 - Appropriate means of transportation.
2 - Proper residence.
3 - Drinking water.
4 - Adequate food.
5 - First aid means.
6 - Recreational and sports means.
The Minister of Labour and Social Affairs shall determine by virtue of a decision issued thereby the complete regions or parts thereof subject to the provision of the present Article.
With the exception of the food, the services referred to in the present Article shall be borne by the employer and the worker shall not be bound to bear any 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.
