Archives: FAQs

In the application of the provisions hereof, the following terms and expressions shall have the meanings assigned to each of them, unless the context requires otherwise:

State

:

United Arab Emirates.

Ministry

:

Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation.

Minister

:

Minister of Human Resources and Emiratisation.

Private Sector

:

Companies, institutions, establishments or any other entities wholly owned by individuals or in partnership with federal or local government, companies and institutions wholly owned by the federal or local government, unless the laws of their establishment stipulate that they shall be subject to the provisions of another law.

Establishment

:

Every economic, technical, industrial, commercial unit or other categories approved in the State, employing workers and aiming at producing goods, marketing them or providing services and licensed by the competent authorities.

Employer

:

Every natural or legal person, who employs one or more workers in return for a wage.

Worker

:

Every natural person authorised by the Ministry to work for one of the licensed establishments in the State, under supervision and direction of the employer.

Juvenile

:

Every person who has reached fifteen years old but has not yet exceeded eighteen years old.

Work

:

Every human, intellectual, technical or physical effort performed according to different types of work.

Work Permit

:

A document issued by the Ministry, according to which a natural person is allowed to work for the licensed establishment.

Employment Contract

:

Every agreement concluded between the employer and worker, under which the latter is committed to working for the service of the employer and under its supervision and guidance, in consideration of a wage payable by the employer, in accordance with the standard contract forms defined by the Implementing Regulation hereof.

Probationary Period

:

The period that may be required by the employer, which enables the latter to evaluate the performance of the worker and allows the worker to become familiar with his job duties and the work environment, according to which the employment contract is either continued or terminated as per the provisions hereof.

Notice Period

:

The notice period specified in the employment contract, which requires both parties to the contract to abide by it in case either of them wishes to terminate the employment contract.

Basic Wage

:

The wage stipulated in the employment contract, which is paid to the worker in consideration of his work under the employment contract, on a monthly, weekly, daily, hourly or piecework basis, and which does not include any other allowances or benefits in-kind.

Wage

:

The basic wage, in addition to the cash allowances and benefits in-kind allocated to the worker under the employment contract or this Decree-Law, and which may include: benefits in-kind that the employer shall grant to the worker or their cash equivalent, if allocated as part of the wage in the employment contract or the establishment’s by-laws; the allowances that the worker is entitled to obtain in return for his effort, the risks he is exposed to while performing his work or for any other reasons; or the allowances granted to meet the cost of living, a percentage of sales, or a percentage of the profits paid for what the worker markets, produces or collects.

Working Day

:

The official working day defined by the implementing resolutions of this Decree-Law.