What is the annual leave policy under the new UAE law for domestic workers?

In the UAE, a new domestic workers law went into effect on December 15 with the intention of improving and regulating domestic worker labor relations. It is crucial to be informed of your rights and responsibilities as an employer if you have hired a housekeeper in the UAE.

The employment of domestic workers is governed by “Federal Decree-Law No.9 of 2022 Concerning Domestic Workers,” which also outlines the rights and responsibilities of all parties, including the employee, employer, and recruitment firms.

The law prohibits the hiring or employment of domestic workers who are under the age of 18, and it also gives the employer the right to reject a domestic worker if the recruitment agency has broken the conditions of the contract.

But what are a domestic worker’s rights with regard to the permitted leaves? The law’s Article 10 examines the annual leaves to which an employee is entitled, the rules that apply when that employee must work while on annual leave, and whether the employer is required to pay for the employee’s travel expenses.

Also Read: Are you renewing your domestic worker’s visa? Watch out for this fine

Here is a detailed look at Article 10.

Article 10 – Leaves

1. For each year of employment, the domestic worker is entitled to an annual leave of at least 30 days, which must be paid in full prior to the worker’s departure on annual leave. The domestic worker is entitled to two days per month for contracts longer than six months but shorter than a year. Depending on the situation, the employer may set the start date for yearly leaves and, if required, may decide to split the leave into two parts.
2. If the domestic worker’s work requires them to work during their annual leave in whole or in part and the leave period they worked during has not been carried over to the following year, the employer must pay the domestic worker’s wage in addition to cash in lieu of leave for the days they worked. A domestic worker cannot, however, work more than once during the course of two consecutive years while on yearly leave.
3. Holidays that fall within the limits of a domestic worker’s annual leave are included in that leave.
4. The employer is required to pay for the return ticket once every two years if a domestic worker wants to use their yearly leave in their home country. If both parties decide to end the contract after the domestic worker’s yearly leave, the employer will only be responsible for the return ticket’s price.
5. The domestic worker is entitled to receive money in lieu of any unused annual leave days at the expiration or termination of the working contract. Based on the worker’s most recent payment, the cash in lieu of leave is determined.