Sami Abdel Raouf (Dubai)
Today (Monday), the United Arab Emirates participates with the world in celebrating International Workers’ Day, which falls on May 1 of each year, to embody its interest in workers and their rights and provide them with a decent life for them and their families, as one of the most important components of development and progress achieved by the UAE.
International Labor Day aims to pay attention to all categories of workers as a major party in the production process and a partner in development worldwide.
The UAE’s celebration of International Workers’ Day embodies a view of respect and appreciation for all workers in the country and the appreciation of what they offer in their various work sites and in all economic sectors in the country.
The UAE continues to issue legislation and laws in order to preserve the rights of employees and workers, and to preserve their health and safety in the work environment, to enhance the country’s record, which is full of outstanding achievements in the field of preserving the rights of employees and workers, taking into account their safety and occupational health, which is reflected in advancing sustainable development to ensure a competitive advantage. state and the sustainability of results.
The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation affirms the continuation of efforts to enhance the achievements made by the UAE in the field of protecting and preserving workers’ rights through the adoption of a system of legislation that brought about strategic transformations in the market and enhanced its efficiency, stability and flexibility in light of guaranteeing labor rights.
“The Biggest Update”
This occasion comes this year at a time when the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation introduced the new law regulating labor relations, which entered into force on the first of February of last year, and is the largest update in the law regulating labor relations in the UAE.
This legislation comes within the framework of preparing for the next fifty years, through a set of future laws and legislation that respond to the requirements of this important stage in the history of the state, and to deal optimally with the changes that the world of work is witnessing at the same time.
This law aims to ensure the efficiency of the labor market, which promotes attracting and preserving the best competencies and future skills from workers, in parallel with providing a stimulating and attractive work environment for employers.
The Labor Relations Regulation Law aims to enhance the flexibility and sustainability of the labor market in the country, as it guarantees protection for the labor relationship and its developments and the exceptional circumstances that may affect this relationship.
This law guarantees the rights of both parties to the work relationship in a balanced manner, and provides protection for both parties to enable them to access and obtain these rights, and supports efforts to enhance the participation and competitiveness of Emirati cadres in the labor market, in addition to empowering women in the market.
auxiliary employment
The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation also issued Federal Law No. (9) of 2022 regarding domestic workers, and it entered into force as of last December 15, and provides an appropriate work environment for domestic workers, in accordance with the legislation and international agreements in force in the country.
The law establishes an integrated framework to strengthen and regulate work relations with domestic workers in the UAE, and defines the responsibilities of the parties to the relationship in a way that preserves their rights and obligations in a balanced manner, and also ensures the provision of a suitable work environment for domestic workers.
The Ministry affirmed that the UAE is continuing to develop the legislative and legal system that guarantees the protection of domestic workers, as part of its continuous efforts to consolidate its global leadership as a preferred global destination for living and working, noting its keenness to enhance the successive achievements and gains achieved by the state in the domestic labor file, by adhering to its oversight role on Enforcing laws, decisions and legislation that regulate the recruitment and employment of domestic workers, in accordance with international best practices during all stages of the contractual work cycle.
rights
She said, “With this law, we have a comprehensive legal framework that guarantees the fulfillment of the obligations of the contracting parties, and helps labor recruitment offices to provide the best services that achieve the comfort, satisfaction and happiness of employers and citizen and resident families.”
She pointed to the role of the law in preserving the rights of domestic workers and meeting the aspirations of both parties to the contract, which in turn contributes to reducing labor disputes and enhancing the competitiveness of the UAE.
“Unemployment Insurance” .. a social protection umbrella
The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation issued the unemployment system, which is an innovative system aimed at providing a social protection umbrella for workers in the federal government and the private sector, citizens and residents, in order to ensure the continuity of a decent life for them and their families in the event of termination of their services.
As of January 1, 2023, participation in the unemployment insurance system began for workers in the federal government and the private sector, citizens and residents.
The unemployment insurance system reflects the interest of the wise leadership in developing the business environment in the country and enhancing its position as a preferred destination for work and living, which is confirmed by international ratings and reports that show the preference of people from all over the world to work and settle in the UAE, given the great benefits it provides in terms of security. security, job benefits, education, health, and quality of life.
The unemployment system contributes to enhancing the competitiveness of Emirati cadres in the labor market, and to attracting and preserving the best international talent from skilled workers in the labor market in the country in order to reach a competitive knowledge economy.
The system comes in implementation of Federal Decree-Law No. 13 of 2022 regarding unemployment insurance, which aims to create a low-cost job security umbrella that supports the professional path and living stability of workers in the two sectors referred to, based on mechanisms that do not bear any costs to employers.
The insurance program compensates the insured with a sum of money for a period not exceeding three months, provided that he does not resign or be dismissed for disciplinary reasons. 60 dirhams annually), while the second category includes those whose basic salary exceeds 16 thousand dirhams, and the subscription value is 10 dirhams per month (120 dirhams annually).
The maximum value of the monthly compensation is 10 thousand dirhams for the first category, and 20 thousand dirhams for the second category, as the compensation that the eligible employee receives is calculated at an average of 60% of his basic salary in the last six months before unemployment.
compensation
The period for paying the compensation value does not exceed a maximum of two weeks from the date of the claim, while the employee can choose the periodicity of paying the insurance premium either annually, semi-annually, quarterly or monthly.
The compensation is due on condition of subscription for at least 12 consecutive months in the insurance, and the right of the insured to claim the value of the compensation is forfeited if he leaves the country or joins a new job.
Excluded from participation in the unemployment insurance system are the investor (owner of the establishment in which he works), domestic workers, workers with a temporary contract, minors under 18 years of age, and the retired who receives a retirement pension.
Health and safety in work environments
Government agencies, whether federal or local in the UAE, pay great attention to promoting the concept of occupational health and safety in the various work environments at the state level.
The efforts of the concerned authorities are concerted within the framework of the national standard for the occupational safety and health management system, according to an integrated strategy and within the framework of the guiding rules, as it applies the best international practices in the field of health and safety of customers and employees and the use of the latest technologies related to the work environment, and provides the necessary training for workers in all its headquarters, with the aim of providing A healthy and safe workplace, by providing an integrated system of prevention.
The Ministry of Health and Prevention is working with the concerned authorities to develop a modern system for reporting, documenting and analyzing work-related accidents and injuries, and occupational diseases, and preparing periodic reports on them at the national level.
It also works to open channels of communication between the concerned authorities to enhance the health of workers in the establishments, whether physical or psychological, to reach the level of professional happiness, through the development of the national system for documenting work accidents and injuries and occupational diseases, in cooperation with relevant Arab and international organizations.
Living
Occupational health and safety is a moral, civilized and economic obligation in the UAE, as the country has ratified several major ILO agreements related to workers’ rights, and has adopted many laws to protect them, including laws in the areas of employment, wages, housing, occupational health and safety.
Great achievements and prestige
The UAE has been able to achieve many achievements to guarantee the rights of workers in the country, the most prominent of which is the provision of a distinct and excellent package of legislation, policies and procedures, to preserve and guarantee the rights of workers in the country, and to provide an exemplary work environment within the framework of guaranteeing the interests of both parties to production and providing protection for the contractual process in accordance with national legislation.
The UAE is one of the countries that has gained a prominent position in preserving the rights of workers and achieving full equality. The legislation regulating labor relations in the country is consistent with the principles and standards included in the levels of the International Labor Organization, as it was characterized by the comprehensiveness of the legislation and covering all labor aspects that require the intervention of the legislator.
The UAE has achieved great and unprecedented achievements, which made it lead with merit, efforts to consolidate the human right to work through the advanced laws it enacted, and what the various bodies and ministries have done that work to ensure their happiness and comfort and their access to all their financial and living rights.
The values of society are based on solidarity, solidarity and respect for human humanity. These values are supported by the inherent human values of society and legislation that safeguard human dignity, guarantee worker rights, include his freedom and value his work, in addition to equality, social justice, security and tranquility.
Wage protection
The UAE implements a package of policies and initiatives, within the framework of guaranteeing the interests of both production parties and providing protection for temporary contract workers in accordance with national legislation.
Among the measures that strengthened the rights of workers in the state is monitoring the quality of housing to match a decent human life, as well as obliging the employer to ensure the bringing of the worker and to take care of all his expenses, starting with his ticket and ending with the expenses and fees for his residence, housing, food and treatment.
The Wage Protection System is considered one of the most prominent initiatives aimed at protecting the rights of workers and ensuring that they receive their wages on time through the system that was praised by the International Labor Organization, at a time when many countries requested to see its working mechanism to apply it in their labor markets.
The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation takes strict measures against establishments that fail to pay the wage, which is the basis of the contractual work relationship.
Preservation of rights
The Emirati legislator organized and guaranteed the rights of the worker before he came to the state and until the end of the labor relationship, pointing out that the state allocated labor departments in its courts, so that the headquarters of the labor departments have a kind of independence in some courts.
Labor cases are considered as soon as possible to preserve the right of the worker and ensure the continuity of his life normally, explaining that the protection of workers’ rights was not limited to government agencies, but extended to public benefit associations such as the Emirates Society for Human Rights, in addition to the General Department of Human Rights in Dubai Police, which During the past years, she succeeded in communicating with the owners of the companies to protect the rights of the worker.
The UAE applies health and safety requirements in workers’ housing and work sites, in addition to setting hours to stop working at noon during the summer period.
community protection
The most prominent advantages that characterize the UAE in dealing with workers is the interest of the UAE community in providing unparalleled care for the worker, including auxiliary workers and providing them with a decent life, in addition to the government’s interest.
Among the most prominent recent legislation in favor of workers is the Ministerial Resolution of the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation No. 279 of 2020 regarding the stability of employment in private sector establishments during the period of application of precautionary measures, and it contained benefits and guarantees for the worker in a manner that serves the interests of both parties.
The decision combined the worker’s right to perform the work and obtain his wages, and the employer’s right to keep his project afloat during that period so that he would not be exposed to bankruptcy and the establishment and its workers would be affected.
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