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UAE president issues federal law protecting domestic helpers

The President of the United Arab Emirates (UAE),  His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, has issued a federal law that would protect the rights of domestic helpers in the country.

The law defines domestic helpers as housemaid, private sailor, watchman and security guard, household shepherd, family chauffeur, household horse groomer, household falcon carer and trainer, domestic laborer, housekeeper, private coach, private teacher, babysitter, household farmer, private nurse, private PRO and private agriculture engineer.

The law also includes a provision that would prohibit the recruitment of any worker under 18.

Any kind of sexual harassment of workers, forced labor, or human trafficking would be considered as violations to the new law.

Domestic helpers will also have the right to keep their official documents like passports. There have been reported cases of employers keeping their domestic helper’s personal documents to prevent them from leaving.

The law also requires recruitment agencies to make domestic helpers aware of their conditions of recruitment, rights and duties, and rules imposed by them. It also requires them to be liable in providing temporary housing for the domestic helpers.

Labor contracts should include the total salary, method of payment, permits allowed for the worker, duration of probation and conditions that might result in the termination of the contract.

Both the employer and the employee should agree to the terms and conditions presented in the contract.

They must also be aware of the customs and traditions of UAE.

“The law regulates the contractual relationship and provides legal protection to safeguard the rights of all parties involved,” Khaleej Times quoted Saqr Ghobash Saeed Ghobash of Minister of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE) as saying.

Recruitment agencies will be given six months to arrange the procedures in accordance with these provisions.

Source: Khaleej Times

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