PROs still getting accustomed to new labour ministry decrees

Dubai: As the new ministerial decrees promising transparency and mobility in the labour market came into effect this month, public relations officers (PROs) of private companies are trying to get accustomed to the new procedures, finding them lengthier. The new measures are aimed to protect labour rights and ensure workers get the job they signed up for.

Along with the three new decrees enacted on January 1, a new unified labour contract standardising employment terms and making them more transparent has also come into effect. The new contract requires the signature of both employee and employer before being filed at the ministry.

“Since the new decrees were enacted, visa and employment procedures are taking longer, as we are still trying to get accustomed to the new requirements,” Hamid, a PRO for an agricultural company, said as he left the Ministry of Labour building in Al Ghusais.

Hamid said that ministry employees themselves are still trying to get a clear understanding of the procedures.

“I suppose we’re all learning as we go,” the Lebanese national said. “For instance, now the employee’s signature is necessary, and for the blue-collar working class, a fingerprint besides the signature.”

The contract, which is divided into 11 clauses, details the obligations and rights of both employer and employee. The contract will explicitly state a worker’s profession, job title, and basic remuneration allowances (all of which should be written in figures and words).

Another PRO, Osama Shater, said the new conditions protect labourers’ rights, obviating any risks of workers receiving less than what they signed up for.

“As the contract needs to be filed before the worker’s arrival to the UAE, it guarantees that they get the job they signed up for,” Shater said. “There have been many cases of people being swindled, receiving a salary less than what they agreed on with the employer. This way agreements between the two parties are legally bound and more transparent. It’ll just take some time until the labour market becomes accustomed to the new procedures.”

Employers are also obliged to provide all occupational health and safety measures, and ensure a healthy working environment as specified by the ministry.

“Even when renewing the contract, employment terms need to be signed again by both employer and employee,” Shater said. “Contracts usually need to be renewed after two years of employment.”

Shater said the contract also seeks to provide labourers with accommodation that complies with international standards.

As per the contract, accommodation provided by the employer must meet the standards of the ministry. If accommodation is in remote areas away from urban areas, employers are required to provide appropriate means of transport, potable water, basic food supplies and medical, recreation, and sports facilities.