Federal Decree by Law No. (33) of 2021 Concerning Regulating Labour Relations (labour, residency and leberal professions law)

Article (1) 
Definitions  
In application of the provisions of this Decree by law, the following words and phrases shall have the meanings assigned to each of them, unless the context otherwise requires:  
 State  : United Arab Emirates  
Ministry  : Ministry of Human Resources & Emiratisation.  
Minister  : Minister of Human Resources & Emiratisation.  
 Private 
Sector  : Companies, ins titutions, establishments, or any other 
entities wholly owned by individuals or jointly with the 
federal or local government, and companies and 
establishments wholly owned by the federal or local 
government unless their articles of Associations stipulate 
that they are subject to the provisions of another law.  
 
Establishment  
 : Every economic, technical, industrial or commercial unit, or any other unit approved in the State, in which Workers are 
employed and whose objective is to produce or market 
commodit ies or to provide services, and which is licensed 
by the Competent Authorities.  
 Employer  
 : Every natural or legal person employing 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 the 
supervision and direction of the Employer.   
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  Juvenile  
 : Every person who is between fifteen and eighteen years of 
age.  
 Work  
 : Every human effort, whether intellectual, technical or 
physical, perfor med 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 a licensed 
Establishment.  
 Employment 
Contract  
 :  Every agreement concluded between the Employer a nd the 
Worker, in which the latter commits to work for the Employer and under his supervision and direction, in return 
for a wage that the employer is obligated to pay, according 
to the contract forms specified by the Executive 
Regulations of this Decree b y law.  
 Probation 
Period  
 : The period that may be required by the Employer, which enables the Employer to evaluate the Worker's 
performance, and enables the Worker to become familiar 
with his job duties and familiarise himself with the work 
environment,  and according to which he shall determine 
whether the employment contract shall be continued or 
terminated in accordance with the provisions of this 
Decree by law.  
 Warning 
Period:  
 : The notice period specified in the employment contract, 
which both parties to the contract shall abide by in the 
event that either of them wishes to terminate the 
employment contract.  
 Basic Wage  
 :  The wage specified in the employment contract, which is 
paid to the Worker in return for his work under the employment cont ract, on a monthly, weekly, daily, hourly 
or piece -meal basis, and does not include any other 
allowances or benefits in kind.   
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  Wage  
 : The basic wage, plus the cash allowances and benefits in 
kind that are decided for the Worker under the 
employment cont ract or this Decree by law, and it may 
include: The benefits in kind that the Employer is obligated 
to provide to the Worker or their cash equivalent, if they 
are determined as part of the wage in the employment 
contract or the articles of Association of t he Establishment, 
or the allowances to which the Worker is entitled to in 
return for the effort he exerts, or the risks he is exposed to 
in the performance of his work, or any other reasons; or the 
allowances given to meet the high cost of living, or a 
percentage of sales, or a percentage of the profits paid in 
return for what the worker markets, produces, or collects.  
 Business Day  
 : The official working day determined by the resolutions implementing this Decree by law.  
Workplace  
 : The work location agreed upon in the employment 
contract, or in which the worker performs the duties and 
services agreed upon for the employer.  
 Continuous 
Service  : The uninterrupted service with the same Employer or his 
legal successor from the date of commencement of w ork.  
 Day 
Labourer:  : Every worker receiving a daily wage.  
 Work Injury:  
 : Any of the occupational diseases stipulated in the table issued by virtue of Cabinet resolution or any other injury 
arising from the Worker's work and sustained by the 
Worker w hile performing and as a result of such work. It is 
deemed as Work Injury any accident proven to be 
sustained by the Worker on his way to or back from his 
work, without any stopping or diversion from the usual route.   
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  Medical 
Authority  
 : Any federal or local government entity concerned with 
health affairs or any private health facility licensed to 
provide health services in the State.  
 Worker's 
family  : Wife or husband, and male and female children.  
 Individual 
Labour 
Disputes  : Any dispute between t he Employer and one Worker 
individually, the subject matter of which is related to this Decree by law, its Executive Regulation and the resolution issued in implementation thereof.  
 Collective 
Labour Disputes  : Any dispute between the Employer and his Wo rkers, the 
subject matter of which is related to the common interest of all Workers or a group of them.

Article (2) 
Objectives  
This Decree by law aims to achieve the following:  
1. Ensuring the efficiency of the labour market in the State, which contributes to 
attracting and maintaining the best competencies and future skills from the 
workforce, and providing an attractive business environment for Employers, which 
helps both parties to participate in achieving the State's national development goals.  
2. Regulating labour relations and determining the rights and obligations of the parties 
in this legal relation in a balanced manner.  
3. Enhancing the flexibility and sustainability of the labour market in the State by ensuring the protection of the parties to the labour relation, its developments, and the exceptional 
circumstances that they may face which may affect that relation.  
4. Supporting and rehabilitating the capabilities and skills of Workers in the Private Sector, 
in a manner that enhances the efficiency and productivity of the workforce in the labour 
market in the State.  
5. Providing protection to both parties to the labou r relation and enabling them to obtain  
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 their rights within the framework of this Decree by law.

Article (3) 
Scope of Application  
1. The provisions of this Decree by law shall apply to all Establishments, Employers and 
Workers in the Private Sector in t he State.  
2. The following categories are not subject to the provisions of this Decree by law:  
a. Employees of federal and local government agencies.  
b. Members of the armed forces, police and security.  
c. Domestic Workers.  
3. The Cabinet may, upon a proposal by the Minister, exclude any category from being 
subject to all or some of the provisions of this Decree by law, and specify the legislation 
applicable thereto.

Article (4)  
Equality and Non -Discrimination  
1. Disc rimination between persons, on the grounds of race, colour, sex, religion, 
nationality, social origin, or disability is prohibited, which would weaken equal 
opportunities or would prejudice equality in obtaining or continuing a job and enjoying 
its rights.  The Employer is also prohibited from practising discrimination in jobs with the 
same job functions.  
2. Rules and procedures that enhance the participation of the State's citizens in the labour 
market are not deemed as discriminatory.  
3. Without prejud ice to the rights of working women stipulated in this Decree by law, all 
provisions regulating the employment of workers without discrimination shall apply to working women.  
4. A woman shall be paid a wage similar to a man's wage if she performs the same  work, or 
another work of equal value. A Cabinet resolution shall be issued, upon a proposal by the Minister, to determine the procedures, controls, and criteria necessary for evaluating 
work of equal value.   
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Article (5)  
Employment of Juveniles  
1. It is prohibited to employ any person before he completes fifteen years of age.  
2. The following are required to employ a Juvenile:  
a. A written consent of his guardian or custodian.  
b. A certificate of health fitness for the required work issued by the Medical Authority.  
c. The actual working hours shall not exceed six hours per day, and shall include one or 
more breaks, the total of which shall not be less than one hour. Such period(s) shall 
be determined so that the Juvenile shall not w ork for more than four consecutive 
hours.  
d. He shall not work during the period between 7 pm and 7 am.  
e. He shall not be employed in dangerous or arduous jobs or in jobs that are, by its 
nature, detrimental to his health, safety or morals, which are determined by a 
decision issued by the Minister in coordination with the Concerned Authorities.  
f. He shall not be required to work overtime, or to stay at the workplace after the times 
fixed for him, or to work on rest days or official holidays.  
3. The Executive Regulation of this Decree by law shall define the juvenile employment 
system, the procedures that the employer must abide by, the jobs in which it is 
prohibited to employ juveniles and the controls for excluding entities that provide 
juvenile  vocational training and qualification, including charitable, educational and 
training institutions, from some provisions of this Article.

Article (6)  
Recruitment and Employment of Workers  
1. Work may not be practised in the State, and the Employer may not recruit or employ any 
Worker, except after obtaining a work permit from the Ministry in accordance with the 
provisions of this Decree by law and its Executive Regulation.  
2. The Executive Regulation of this Decree by law shall determine the conditions, controls and types of work permits, and the procedures for granting, renewing and cancelling 
them.   
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 3. It is not permissible to carr y out the activity of recruitment or mediation to recruit or 
employ Workers without a licence from the Ministry, in accordance with the conditions 
and procedures specified in the Executive Regulation of this Decree by law.  
4. The Employer is prohibited f rom charging the Worker the fees and costs of recruitment 
and employment or collecting them from him, whether directly or indirectly.  
5. The Minister shall, in coordination with the Concerned Authorities in the State, issue the resolutions decisions regulating the jobs for which the recruitment and employment of 
workers is prohibited, and the controls therefor.

Article (7)  
Types of Work  
1. The work types to be contracted shall be according to the following:  
a. Full- time, which is working for one employer for the full daily working hours 
throughout business days.  
b. Part -time, which is working for one or multiple employers for a specified number of 
working hours or days.  
c. Temporary work, which is work of wh ich nature requires a specific period of time, or 
which focuses on a specific job and ends by the completion thereof.  
d. Flexible work, which is work of which hours or working days change according to the 
volume of work and the economic and operational v ariables of the Employer. The 
Worker may work for the Employer for times that change according to work 
conditions and requirements.  
e. Any other types specified by the Executive Regulation of this Decree by law.  
2. The Executive Regulation shall determ ine the conditions and controls for work types, 
and the obligations of both the worker and the employer, according to each type.

Article (8) 
 Employment Contract  
1. The Employer must conclude an employment contract with the Worker, according to the 
form of work agreed upon, provided that the contract is in two copies, one of which shall  
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 be kept by the Employer and the other shall be handed to the Worker, in accordance 
with the forms specified by the Executive Regulation of this Decree by law.  
2. The Worker or his representative may establish the employment contract, the amount of the wage and any of the rights he is entitled to under the provisions of this Decree by law and its Executive Regulation and the decisions issued in implementation t hereof, by all 
means of evidence.  
3. The employment contract shall be concluded for a definite period, renewable, based upon the parties' agreement.  
4. In the event of an extension or renewal of the contract, the new period(s) shall be deemed to be an extension of the original period and shall be added thereto when 
calculating the Worker's continuous service period.  
5. If both parties continue to implement the contract after the expiry of its original term or 
the expiry of the agreed -upon work without express agreement, the original contract 
shall be deemed to be impliedly extended with the same conditions stated therein . 
6. Subject to Clause (3) of this Article, the Executive Regulation of this Decree by law shall 
determine the forms of employment contracts according to the approved skill levels, and 
the provisions for changing the contract from one type of work to ano ther, and 
registering them with the Ministry.

Article (9)  
Probation Period  
1. The Employer may appoint the Worker under the Probation Period for a period not 
exceeding six (6) months as of the date of commencing work, and he may terminate the 
Worker' s service during this period after notifying the Worker in writing at least fourteen 
(14) days prior to the date specified for termination of service.  
2. A Worker may not be appointed under probation more than once with one employer, and if the Worker su ccessfully passes the Probation Period and continues to work, the 
contract becomes valid in accordance with the terms agreed upon, and that period must be counted within the service period.  
3. In the event that the Worker wishes to move, during the Probation Period, to work for  
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 another employer in the State, he must notify the original Employer in writing within a 
period not less than one month as of the date of his desire to terminate the contract. The 
new Employer shall compensate the or iginal Employer with the costs of recruiting or 
contracting with the Worker, unless agreed otherwise.  
4. In the event that the foreign Worker wishes to terminate the employment contract, 
during the Probation Period, to leave the State, he must notify the  Employer in writing, at 
least (14) fourteen days prior to the date specified for the termination of the contract. 
And in the event that he wishes to return to the State and obtain a new work permit 
within three (3) months as of the date of leaving, the ne w Employer shall pay the 
compensation stipulated in Clause (3) of this Article, unless agreed otherwise between 
the Worker and the original Employer.  
5. If either party terminates the employment contract without observing the provisions of 
this Article, it shall pay the second party a compensation equal to the Worker's wage for 
the notice period or the remaining period of the notice period.  
6. If the foreign worker leaves the State without being bound by the provisions of this 
article, he will not be gr anted a work permit to work in the State for a period of one year 
as of the date of leaving the State.  
7. The Ministry may exempt some job categories, skill levels, or labour from the condition 
of not granting a work permit, stipulated in Clauses (4) and  (6) of this Article, in 
accordance with the controls and procedures specified by the Executive Regulation of 
this Decree by law.

Article (10) 
 Non -Competition Condition  
1. If the work assigned  to the Worker allows him to know the Employer's clients or access 
his work secrets, the Employer may stipulate in the work contract that the Worker shall 
not, after the termination of the contract, compete with him or participate in any 
competing project in the same industry; provided that such condition is specific in terms 
of time, place and kind of work to the extent necessary to protect the legitimate business 
interests, and that the period of non -competition shall not exceed two years as of the  
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 expiry  date of the contract.  
2. Said condition shall be null if the employer terminates the employment contract in 
violation of the provisions of this Decree by law.  
3. The lawsuit filed by the Employer for the Worker's violation of the provisions of this 
article shall not be heard after the lapse of one year from the date of discovering the 
violation.  
4. The Executive Regulation of this Decree by law shall determine the provisions regulating this Article, and the skill levels or occupational professions th at may be excluded from 
the provision of Clause (1) of this Article, in accordance with the conditions and controls specified by the Regulation.

Article (11)  
Outsourcing Some of Employer's Tasks to Another Employer  
The Employer may assign any of his work to another Employer; and in which case, the latter shall be solely responsible for the rights entitled by virtue of the provisions of this Decree by 
law to his Workers performing such work, unless agreed otherwise be tween the two parties.

Article (12)  
Assigning Worker to Other Work  
1. It is not permissible to assign the Worker a work that is fundamentally different from the work agreed upon in the employment contract, unless necessary, or with the aim of 
preventi ng the occurrence of an accident or repairing what resulted from such accident; 
provided that such assignment is temporary in accordance with what is specified by the 
Executive Regulation of this Decree by law.  
2. The Employer may assign the Worker, in c ases other than those referred to in Clause (1) 
of this Article, to perform a kind of work that is not agreed upon in the employment 
contract, provided that the Worker agrees in writing.  
3. If performing the work that is not agreed upon in the employment  contract requires that 
the Worker changes his place of residence, the Employer must bear all the financial costs 
resulting therefrom, including the costs of the worker's displacement and residence.   
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Article (13) 
 Employer's Obligations  
The Employer must:  
1. Maintain Workers' files and records in accordance with the conditions, controls and 
procedures determined by a resolution issued by the Ministry, provided that the period of maintaining the Worker's file shall not be less than two years as of the date of the end 
of the Worker's service.  
2. Not withhold the official documents of the Worker or force him to leave the State upon 
the end of the labour relation.  
3. Lay down work organisation regulations, such as the regulation of work instruct ions, 
sanctions, promotions, bonuses, and other regulations and systems according to the 
controls specified by the Executive Regulation of this Decree by law.  
4. Provide the Worker with adequate accommodation licensed by the Competent 
Authorities in acco rdance with the rules, conditions and standards in force in the State, 
or pay him housing allowance, or include it in the wage.  
5. Invest in developing the skills of Workers who work for him, and provide the minimum 
amount of training, qualification and empowerment tools and programmes in 
accordance with the provisions of this Decree by law and its Executive Regulation.  
6. Provide the necessary means of prevention to protect Workers from the dangers of 
occupational injuries and diseases that may occur d uring work, ensure the provision of 
guidance and awareness regulations, provide appropriate training for workers to avoid 
such risks, and conduct periodic evaluation to ensure that all work parties comply with 
the requirements of health and occupational safety and security, in accordance with the 
provisions of this Decree by law, its Executive Regulation, and the legislation in force in 
this regard.  
7. Take what is necessary to  ensure that the Worker knows his rights and obligations at 
work, in accordance with the tools and methods appropriate to the nature of work and its Workers.  
8. Bear the costs of medical care for the Worker in accordance with the legislation in force  
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 in the State.  
9. Bear the expenses of insurances, subscriptions and guarantees determined by the 
legislation in force.  
10. Not let the Worker perform work for others except in accordance with the provisions of 
this Decree by law.  
11. Give the Worker, at his request, upon the expiry of the employment contract, an experience certificate free of charge, indicating the date of his joining the work, the date on which his work ends, the total period of his service, the job title or the kind of work he 
was pe rforming, the last wage he was receiving, and the reason for the end of the 
employment contract, provided that the certificate shall not include anything that might 
harm the Worker's reputation or reduce his employment opportunities.  
12. Bear the expens es of returning the Worker to where he was recruited from or any other 
place that the two parties have agreed upon, unless he has joined the service of another 
Employer, or the reason for terminating the contract is due to the worker, in which case, the latter shall incur those expenses.  
13. Provide a safe and appropriate work environment.  
14. Perform any other obligations stipulated under the provisions of this Decree by law and 
its Executive Regulations, Cabinet resolut ions, or any other legislation in force in the 
State.

Article (14) 
Prohibition of Forced Labour and Other Prohibitions 
1. The Employer may not use any means that would make or force the Worker or threaten 
him with any penalty to work for him or force him to perform work or provide a service 
against his will.  
2. Sexual harassment, bullying, or any verbal, physical or psychological violence against the 
Worker by the Employer, his superiors, colleagues, or co -workers shall be prohibited.  
  
   
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Article (15) 
Worker's Entitlements at the Time of His Death  
1. In the event of the Worker's death, the Employer shall hand over to the worker's family 
any wages or financial entitlements to the Worker in addition to the end -of-service 
gratuity to which the worker is entitled in accordance with the provisions of this Decree by law and its Executive Regulation, within a period not exceeding ten (10) days as of 
the date of death or as of the date of the Employer's knowledge of the Worker's death.  
2. Subje ct to the provisions of Clause (1) of this Article, the Worker may specify in writing a 
family member to receive his rights in the event of his death.  
3. The employer shall bear all costs incurred in preparing and transporting the body of the 
deceased Wo rker to his country of origin or place of residence if his relatives so request.  
4. The Ministry may, in coordination with the Concerned Authorities, may establish a 
mechanism to retain the Worker's entitlements in the event of his death if it is not 
possible to hand them over to his family or those entitled thereto.

Article (16)  
Worker's Obligations 
The Worker must:  
1. To perform the work personally under the direction and supervision of the Employer or 
his representative, and in accordance with w hat is specified in the contract, and not to 
outsource the work to any other worker or any other person.  
2. Abide by proper conduct and ethical norms during work and display honesty and 
professional integrity.  
3. Preserve the means of production and wo rk tools in his custody and preserve them by 
taking the necessary measures to keep them in the places designated for them.  
4. Maintain confidentiality of the information and data to which he has access by virtue of his work, not disclose trade secrets, and return anything under his custody to the 
Employer at the end of his service.  
5. Not keep in a personal capacity any original copies of papers or paper or electronic 
documents related to trade secrets without the permission of the Employer or his  
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 representative.  
6. Implement the occupational safety and health instructions determined in the 
Establishment in accordance with the  legislation in force or work systems and 
instructions.  
7. Work during the approved business days and working hours specified in the 
employment contract and communicate and interact effectively to efficiently accomplish 
the tasks assigned thereto.  
8. Work continuously and diligently to develop his functional and professional skills and 
raise the level of performance he provides to the Employer.  
9. Not work for others, in violation of the provisions of this Decree by law and other 
applicable legislatio n in this regard.  
10. Evacuate the accommodation provided thereto by the Employer, within a period not 
exceeding thirty (30) days as of the d ate of the end of his service; however, the Worker 
may remain in the accommodation after the expiry of the aforementioned period, upon 
the Employer's approval, in return for the incurring the cost of accommodation, or what 
is agreed upon in writing with th e Employer.  
11. Perform any other obligations stipulated under the provisions of this Decree by law and 
its Executive Regulations or any other legislation in force in the State.

Article (17)  
Working Hours  
1. The maximum normal working hours for Wor kers shall be eight (8) hours per day or 
forty -eight (48) hours per week.  
2. The Cabinet may, upon the proposal of the Minister and in coordination with the Concerned Authorities, increase or decrease the daily working hours for some economic 
sectors or some categories of labour, in addition to the working hours, rest hours, and hours during which it is prohibited to work for certain categories of labour, according to 
the classification of labour specified in the Executive Regulation of this Decree by law . 
3. The periods spent by a Worker in travelling between his home and place of work shall 
not be included in his working hours, except for some categories of Workers in  
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 accordance with the controls specified by the Executive Regulation of this Decree by law.  
4. The Executive Regulation of this Decree by law shall determine the working hours in the 
month of Ramadan.  
5. In the event that the Worker works full- time, the original Employer, or any other 
Employer for whom the Worker works in accor dance with the provisions of this Decree 
by law, may not require the worker to work for him more than the hours agreed upon in 
the employment contract, except with the Worker's written consent.  
6. In the event that the worker desires to perform his work remotely, whether from inside 
or outside the State, and with the approval of the Employer, the Employer may stipulate 
specific working hours.

Article (18) 
Consecutive Working Hours  
The worker may not work for more than five (5) consecutive hours without a rest period or periods amounting in aggregate to not less than one hour. Working hours and rest periods 
shall be regulated in the Establishment that operates on the shift system, or  for some job 
categories according to their nature -  such as field jobs -  and according to the labour 
classification specified in the Executive Regulation of this Decree by law.

Article (19) 
Overtime  
1. The Employer may require the Worker to work for additional working hours beyond the 
normal working hours, provided that they do not exceed two hours per day, and he may 
not be required to work for more than that except in accordance with the conditions and 
controls specified in the Executive Regulation o f this Decree by law. In all cases, the total 
working hours shall not exceed one hundred and forty -four (144) hours every (3) three 
weeks.  
2. If circumstances of work require that the Worker works for more than the normal 
working hours, the extra time sh all be considered overtime, for which the Worker shall 
receive a wage equal to that corresponding to his normal working hours -  calculated  
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 according to the basic wage - plus an increase of at least twenty -five percent (25%) of 
such wage.  
3. If circumstan ces of work necessitate that the Worker works overtime between 10 pm 
and 4 am, he shall be entitled to the wage determined for normal working hours -  
calculated according to the basic wage - plus an increase equal to at least fifty percent 
(50%) of such wa ge. Shift Workers shall be excluded from the above.  
4. If circumstances of work necessitate that the Worker works on the rest day specified in 
the employment contract or the work organisational regulation, he shall be 
compensated with another rest day, o r with payment of the wage for that day according 
to the wage established for normal business days, plus an increase not less than fifty 
percent (50%) of the basic wage for that day.  
5. The Worker may not be required to work for more than two  consecutive rest days, 
excluding day labourers.

Article (20)  
Excluded Labour Categories  
The Executive Regulation of this Decree by law shall determine the categories of labourers 
that may be exempted from the provisions regarding working hours containe d in this 
Decree by law.

Article (21) 
Weekly Rest  
The worker shall be granted a paid weekly rest not less than one day, according to what is 
specified in the employment contract or the work organisational regulation. It is permissible 
by a Cabinet resolu tion to increase the weekly rest day stipulated in this Article.

Article (22) 
Determining the Amount or Type of Wage and Paying It  
1. The amount or type of wage shall be specified in the employment contract, and if it is not  
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 specified therein, the competent court shall determine it as a labour dispute.  
2. The Employer is obligated to pay the wages to his Workers on their due dates in 
accordance with the systems approved in the Ministry and the conditions, controls and 
procedures specified in the Executive Regulation of this Decree by law.  
3. The wages shall be paid in AED, and they can be paid in another currency if it is agreed 
upon between the parties in the employment contract.

Article (23) 
Method of Calculating Wages for Workers on Piecemeal Basis  
The daily wage of Workers who receive their wages on piece -meal basis is calculated 
according to the average of what the Worker received for the actual working days during the 
six (6) months preceding the request or the lawsuit regarding any matter related to the 
wage.

Article (24) 
Transferring Monthly Wage Worker to Other Categories  
A worker with a monthly wage m ay be transferred to the category of day workers or workers 
appointed for a weekly, piece -meal or hourly wage, if the Worker agrees to this in writing, 
and without prejudice to the rights acquired by the worker during the period he spent 
working for monthly wage.

Article (25) 
Cases of Deduction from Worker's Wage  
1. No amount of money shall be deducted from the Worker's wage except in the following cases:  
a. Recovering loans granted to the Worker, within the maximum monthly deduction rate from the Wor ker's wage stipulated in this Article, after obtaining the Worker's 
written consent, and without any interests.  
b. Recovering the amounts paid to the Worker in excess of his entitlements, provided  
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 that the amount deducted shall not exceed twenty percent (20%) of the wage.  
c. Amounts deducted for the purposes of calculating contributions to bonuses, 
retirement pensions, and insurances, in accordance with the legislation in force in 
the State.  
d. The Worker's contributions to the Establishment's savings fund or the loans owed to 
the fund, approved by the Ministry.  
e. Instalments of any welfare scheme or any other benefits or services provided by the 
Employer and approved by the Ministry, provided  that the worker agrees in writing 
to participate in the scheme.  
f. Amounts deducted from the Worker due to the violations he commits in accordance 
with the sanction regulation in force in the Establishment and approved by the 
Ministry, provided that it shall not exceed five percent (5%) of the wage.  
g. Debts owed in implementation of a court judgment, provided that they shall not exceed a quarter of the wage due to the Worker, except for the alimony debt, where more than a quarter of the wage may be de ducted. In the event of multiple debts, the 
amounts required to be paid shall be distributed according to the ranks of the privilege.  
h. Amounts necessary to repair any damages caused by the Worker, as a result of his fault or violation of the Employer's  instructions, that lead to the damage, destruction 
or loss of tools, machines, products or materials owned by the Employer, provided 
that the amount deducted shall not exceed the wage of (5) five days per month, and 
no more amounts shall be deducted excep t upon the approval of the competent 
court.  
2. If there are multiple reasons for deduction from the wage, it is not permissible in all cases 
for the percentage of deduction to exceed fifty percent (50%) of the wage.

Article (26) 
Enabling Worker to Perform His Work  
1. The wage shall be in exchange for the work, and the Employer is obligated to enable the 
Worker to perform his work, otherwise he is obligated to pay his wage agreed upon.   
Federal Decree by Law No. (33) of 2021  Concerning Regulating Labour Relations  20 
 2. The Executive Regulation shall determin e the procedures for the Worker's leaving work 
in the event that he is not able to perform the work agreed upon in the employment 
contract.

Article (27)  
Minimum Wage 
The Cabinet may, upon the proposal of the Minister and in coordinatio n with the Concerned 
Authorities, issue a resolution setting the minimum wage for Workers, or any category of them.

Article (28) 
Official Holidays and Requiring Worker to Work Therein  
1. The Worker is entitled to an official leave with fu ll pay on the official holidays to be 
determined by a Cabinet resolution.  
2. If circumstances of work necessitate that the Worker works in any of the official 
holidays, the Employer shall compensate him with another rest day for each day in 
which he work s during the holiday, or with payment of the wage for that day according 
to the wage established for normal business days, plus an increase not less than fifty percent (50%) of the basic wage for that day.

Article (29) 
Annual leave  
1. Without prejudice to the Worker's rights acquired for the period preceding the date of 
enforcement of the provisions of this Decree by law, the Worker shall be entitled to an 
annual leave with full pay of not less than:  
a. Thirty days for each year of his extended service.  
b. Two days for each month if his service period is more than six months and less than 
one year.  
c. A leave for parts of the last year he spent at work, in the event that his service ends  
Federal Decree by Law No. (33) of 2021  Concerning Regulating Labour Relations  21 
 before using his annual leave balance.  
2. The part -time Worker is entitled to an annual leave according to the actual working 
hours spent by the Worker with the Employer, the duration of which is specified in the 
employment contract, in accordance with what is determined by the Executive Regulatio n of this Decree by law.  
3. The Employer may agree to grant the Worker a leave from the balance of his annual leave during the Probation Period, and the Worker shall retain the right to be compensated for the remainder of his annual leave balance, if he have not passed the 
Probation Period.  
4. The Worker must enjoy his leave in the year of its entitlement, and the Employer may 
determine the dates of these leaves in accordance with work requirements and in 
agreement with the Worker or gran t them in rotation among the Establishment's 
Workers in order to ensure the progress of his work, and he must notify the Worker of the specified date for enjoying his leave at least one month in advance.  
1. The Worker may, upon the approval of the Employ er and in accordance with the 
applicable organisational regulations in the Establishment, carry forward the balance of his annual leave, or days thereof, to the following year.  
6. The Worker is entitled to the wage for the period of his annual leave.  
7. Rest days established by law or by agreement shall be included in the annual leave 
period if the annual leave enjoyed by the Worker is interrupted by, and is considered, 
part of it, unless the employment contract or the organisational regulations in forc e in 
the Establishment stipulate what is more beneficial to the Worker.  
8. The Employer may not prevent the Worker from benefiting from his entitled annual 
leave for more than two years, unless the Worker wishes to carry it forward or obtain a 
cash allow ance for it in accordance with the organisational regulations in force in the 
Establishment, and what is specified by the Executive Regulation of this Decree by law.  
9. The Worker is entitled to receive wages for the days of the entitled rest days if he leaves the work before using it, regardless of their duration, in relation to the period for which 
he has not obtained his leave.  
10. The Executive Regulation of this Decree by law shall specify the rules and conditions for  
Federal Decree by Law No. (33) of 2021  Concerning Regulating Labour Relations  22 
 organising vacations and compensation for them.

Article (30) 
 Maternity Leave  
1. The female Worker shall be entitled to maternity leave of (60) sixty days, accord ing to 
the following:  
a. The first forty -five (45) days with full pay.  
b. The following fifteen (15) days with half pay.  
2. The female Worker may, after using her maternity leave, be absent work without pay for 
a period not exceeding forty -five (45) consecutive or intermittent days, if such absence is 
due to an illness suffered by her or her child as a result of pregnancy or ch ildbirth and 
that does not enable her to return to her work. Said illness shall be proven by a medical 
certificate issued by the Medical Authority, and this period shall not be included in the 
period of service for which the female Worker is entitled to th e end of service gratuity or 
the period of contribution to the retirement system in accordance with the legislation in force in this regard.  
3. The female Worker is entitled to the maternity leave stated in Clause (1) of this Article, if she gives birth after six (6) months or more of pregnancy, whether the foetus is born 
dead or born alive then died.  
4. The female Worker, in the event that she gives birth to a sick or disabled child whose 
health condition requires a constant companion according to a me dical report issued by 
the Medical Authority, is entitled to a leave of thirty (30) days with full pay starting after 
the end of the maternity leave period, and she has the right to extend the leave for a 
period of thirty (30) days without pay.  
5. The Em ployer must grant the female Worker maternity leave whenever she requests it at 
any time, starting as of the last day of the month immediately preceding the month in 
which she is expected to give birth, and this shall be proven by a certificate from the 
Medical Authority.  
6. Obtaining the maternity leave or the absence referred to in this article shall not prejudice her right to obtain other leaves.   
Federal Decree by Law No. (33) of 2021  Concerning Regulating Labour Relations  23 
 7. If the female Worker works for another Employer during the period of her leave 
authorised in this article, the original Employer may deprive her of her wage for the 
period of the leave or recover what he paid to her.  
8. It is not permissible to terminate  the service of a female Worker or to give her notice 
because of pregnancy, or because she has obtained maternity leave, or because she is 
absent from work in accordance with the provisions of this Article.  
9. After returning from maternity leave and for  a period not exceeding six (6) months as of 
the date of giving birth, the female Worker is entitled to one or two rest periods per day 
to breastfeed her child, provided that the period of both periods shall not exceed one 
hour.

Article (31) 
 Sick Leave  
1. If the Worker suffers an illness that is not caused by a work injury, he must inform the Employer or his representative of his illness, within a period not exceeding three (3) 
business days and submit a medical report on his condition issued by the Me dical 
Authority.  
2. The Worker is not entitled to a paid sick leave during the Probation Period, but the 
Employer may grant him a sick leave without pay, based on a medical report issued by 
the Medical Authority that includes the necessity of granting th e leave.  
3. After the Probation Period, the Worker may receive a sick leave of no more than (90) ninety consecutive or intermittent days per year, provided that it shall be calculated as 
follows:  
a. The first fifteen (15) days with full pay.  
b. The f ollowing thirty (30) days with half pay.  
c. The following period shall be unpaid.  
4. The sick leave shall not be paid if the illness is a result from the Worker's misconduct, in 
accordance with the cases specified in the Executive Regulation of this De cree by law.  
5. The Employer may terminate the Worker's service after completing his sick leave referred to in this article, if he is unable to return to work, provided that the Worker  
Federal Decree by Law No. (33) of 2021  Concerning Regulating Labour Relations  24 
 receives all his financial dues in accordance with the provisions of this Decree by law 
and its Executive Regulation.

Article (32)  
Various holidays  
1. The Worker is entitled to a paid leave in the following cases:  
a. A mourning leave of five (5) days, in the event of the death of the spouse; and Thre e 
(3) days in the event of the death of the mother, father, son, brother, sister, grandson, 
grandfather or grandmother, starting as of the date of death.  
b. Parental leave for a period of (5) five working days, for the Worker (whether the 
father or the m other) who has a child, to care for his child, to be enjoyed, 
continuously or intermittently, within a period of six (6) months as of the date of the 
child's birth.  
c. Any other leaves determined by the Cabinet.  
2. The Worker may be granted a study leave for a period of ten (10) business days per year, 
for the Worker who is enrolled - by affiliation or regularly - in one of the educational 
institutions approved in the State, in order to perform the tests, provided th at the period 
of service with the Employer is not less than two years.  
3. The national Worker is entitled to a full- time leave to perform the national and reserve 
service with pay, in accordance with the legislation in force in the State.  
4. In order t o obtain the leaves referred to in this Article, a proof of the same must be 
provided by the Concerned Authorities.  
5. The Executive Regulation shall determine the provisions for granting and organising the 
leaves referred to in this Article.

Article (33)  
Leave Without Pay  
1. The Worker may, upon the approval of the Employer, obtain leave without pay, other 
than those referred to in this Decree by law.  
2. The leave referred to in this Article shall not be inclu ded in the Worker's period of service  
Federal Decree by Law No. (33) of 2021  Concerning Regulating Labour Relations  25 
 with the Employer or within the period of contribution to the retirement system in 
accordance with the legislation in force in this regard.

Article (34)  
Absence After Leave  
The Worker who does not return directly to  work without a legitimate reason after the end 
of his leave shall not be entitled to his wage for the period of absence following the end of 
the leave.

Article (35) 
Effecting the Warning Period in the Event of Termination of the Contract 
During  the Leave Period  
In the event that either party to the employment contract desires to terminate the contract in 
accordance with the provisions of this Decree by law and its Exe cutive Regulation, during 
the period of the Worker's leave, the period of warning agreed upon in the employment 
contract shall not start to take effect, except as of the day following the scheduled return of 
the Worker from leave, unless agreed otherwise b y both parties.

Article (36)  
Occupational Care and Safety  
Establishments shall abide by the provisions contained in Federal Law No. (13) of 2020 
Concerning Public Health and all resolutions issued in implementation thereof, and any 
other legislation iss ued in this regard. The Executive Regulation of this Decree by law shall 
define the role of the Ministry and the provisions relating to Workers' safety, protection and health care.  
  
 
   
Federal Decree by Law No. (33) of 2021  Concerning Regulating Labour Relations  26

Article (37) 
Compensation for Work Injuries and Occupational Illness  
1. A Cabinet resolution shall be issued, upon a proposal by the Minister and in 
coordination with the Concerned Authorities, to specify work injuries and occupational 
illness, the conditions and procedures to be followed in the event of any of them 
occur ring, the Employer's obligations in this regard, the amount of compensation due to 
the Worker in the event of total permanent or partial permanent disability, the 
compensation due to his family in the event of his death, and the rules for its distribution 
and the amount thereof.  
2. In the event that the Worker suffers a work injury or an occupational illness, the 
Employer shall commit to do the following:  
a. Bear the expenses of the Worker's treatment until he is cured and is able to return to 
work or proven to be disabled, in accordance with the conditions, controls and 
procedures specified in the Executive Regulation of this Decree by law.  
b. If a work injury or occupational illness prevents the Worker from performing his 
work, the Employer must pay the Worker the equivalent of his full wage for the 
duration of the treatment or for a period of six (6) months, whichever is less. If the treatment period exceeds six (6) months, he shall be paid half the wage for another 
six (6) months, or until the Worker is cured, proven to be disabled, or dies, whichever 
is comes first.  
3. If the work injury or occupational illness leads to the death of the Worker, the family of 
the deceased shall be entitled to compensation equal to the basic wage of the Worker for 
a period of twenty -four (24) months, provided that the value of the compensation shall 
not be less than eighteen thousand (18,000) AED and not exceed two hundred thousand 
(200,000) AED. The value of the compensation shall be calculated according to the basic 
wage received by the Worker before his death, and the compensation shall be 
distributed to the beneficiaries of the deceased Worker as determined by the Executive 
Regulation of this Decree by law, while preserving the rights of the family of the 
deceased from the end- of-service gratuity, and any other financial entitlements due to 
the Worker.   
Federal Decree by Law No. (33) of 2021  Concerning Regulating Labour Relations  27

Article (38) 
Cases Where the Worker Is Not Entitled to Work Injury Compensation  
The Worker shall not be entitled to compensation for a work  injury, if it is proven through 
the investigations of the competent authorities that any of the following cases have been 
achieved:  
1. The Worker deliberately injured himself for any reason.  
2. The injury occurred under the influence of alcohol, narcotics, or other psychotropic 
substances.  
3. The injury occurred as a result of an intentional violation of the preventive instructions 
displayed in visible places in the workplace, as determined by the Executive Regulation of this Decree by law.  
4. The injury occurred as a result of wilful misconduct on the part of the Worker.  
5. The Worker refused, without serious reason, to examine him or to follow the treatment decided by the Medical Authority .

Article (39)  
Disciplinary Sanctions 
1. The Employer or his representative may impose any of th e following sanctions on the 
Worker who violates the provisions of this Decree by law, its Executive Regulation and 
the resolutions issued in implementation thereof:  
a. Written caution.  
b. Written warning.  
c. Deduction from the wage not exceeding the  wages of five (5) days per month.  
d. Suspension from work for a period not exceeding fourteen (14) days, and non -payment of wages for the days of suspension.  
e. Deprivation of the periodic raise for a period not exceeding one year, for 
Establishments that adopt the system of periodic raises, which the Worker is entitled 
to in accordance with the terms of the employment contract or the provisions of the 
Establishment's organisational regulations.  
f. Deprivation from promotion, in Establishments where there is a promotion system,  
Federal Decree by Law No. (33) of 2021  Concerning Regulating Labour Relations  28 
 for a period not exceeding two years.  
g. Dismissal from service while preserving the Worker's right to end -of-service gratuity.  
2. The Executive Regulation shall determine  the conditions, controls, and procedures 
necessary to impose any of the sanctions referred to in Clause (1) of this Article, and the 
mechanism for grievance against them.

Article (40) 
Suspension of Work  
1. The Employer may suspend the Worker temporarily from work for a period not exceeding thirty (30) days, with the aim of conducting a disciplinary investigation with 
him if the interest of the investigation so requires, with a suspension of half the wage 
during the suspension period. If the investigation ends with being reserved, finding no 
violation, or giving the Worker a warning sanction, the wage suspended during the 
suspension period shall be paid to him.  
2. The Employer may suspend the Worker temporar ily when he is accused of committing a 
crime of physical assault or robbery of property or other crimes such as the abuse of honesty or breach of trust, until a final decision is issued by the competent judicial authority, and his wage shall be suspended f or the period of suspension. If a decision is 
issued to release the Worker from standing a trial or acquit him for non -felony, or if the 
investigation ends up being reserved due to insufficient evidence, he must be returned to 
work with the full payment of  his suspended wage.

Article (41)  
Certain Controls for Imposing Disciplinary Sanctions  
1. No disciplinary sanction may be imposed on the Worker for an act committed outside 
the workplace unless it is related to work.  
2. It is not permissible to impos e more than one disciplinary sanction for a single violation, 
in accordance with the provisions of article (39) of this Decree by law.  
   
Federal Decree by Law No. (33) of 2021  Concerning Regulating Labour Relations  29

Article (42) 
Cases of Termination of the Employment Contract  
The employment contract shall be terminated in any of the following cases:  
1. If the parties agree in writing to terminate it.  
2. Upon the expiry of the period specified in the contract unless it is extended or renewed 
in accordance with the provisions of this Decree by law.  
3. At the request of one of the parties, provided that the provisions of this Decree by law 
regarding the termination of the employment contract and the warning period agreed 
upon in the contract are abided by.  
4. The death of the Employer if the subject of  the contract is related to his person.  
5. The death of the Worker or his total permanent disability, as proven by a certificate issued by the Medical Authority.  
6. The Worker has been sentenced by a final judgment of imprisonment for a period not 
less than three (3) months.  
7. The Establishment is closed permanently, in accordance with the legislation in force in the State.  
8. The bankruptcy or insolvency of the Employer or any economic or exceptional reasons that prevent the continuation of the business, in accordance with the conditions, 
controls and procedures specified by the Executive Regulation and the legislation in 
force in the State.  
9. The Worker's failure to fulfil the conditions for renewing the work permit for any reason 
beyond the control of the Employer.

Article (43) 
Employment Contract Termination Warning  
1. Either party to the employment contract may terminate the contract for any legitimate reason, provided that the other party is no tified in writing, and commits to work within 
the warning period agreed upon in the contract, provided that the period is not less than thirty (30) days, and not more than ninety (90) days.  
2. The employment contract shall remain effective for the duration of the warning period  
Federal Decree by Law No. (33) of 2021  Concerning Regulating Labour Relations  30 
 referred to in this Article, and end upon the expiry of the period, and the Worker shall be 
entitled to his full wage for that period according to the last wage received thereby, and 
he must work during that period  if the Employer asks him to do so. An agreement may 
be made to exempt from the warning condition or reduce its duration while preserving 
all the rights of the Worker for the warning period agreed upon in the employment 
contract. The warning period must be  the same for both parties unless it is in the interest 
of the Worker.  
3. The party who does not abide by the warning period must pay the other party a 
compensation called a warning allowance, even if the failure to warn does not result in 
harm to the ot her party. Such compensation shall be equal to the Worker's wage for the 
entire warning period or the remaining part of it.  
4. The warning allowance shall be calculated according to the last wage received by the 
Worker for those who receive their wages b y month, week, day or hour, and according to 
the average daily wage referred to in this Decree by law for those who receive their 
wages by piece -meal.  
5. If the employment contract is terminated by the Employer, the Worker has the right to be absent during the warning period for one unpaid working day per week, in order to 
search for another job. The Worker may specify the day of absence provided that he 
informs the employer thereof at least (3) three days prior to the day of absence.

Article (44) 
Cases of Dismissal of Worker Without Warning  
The Employer may dismiss the Worker without warning, after conducting a written 
investigation with him, and the decision to dismiss shall be in writing and reasoned, and the 
Employer or his representative shall hand it to the Worker in any of the following cases:  
1. If it is proven that the Worker impersonates another person or has submitted false 
certificates or documents.  
2. If the Worker makes a mistake that results in a grave material loss to the Employer , or if 
the Worker deliberately harms the property of the Employer and acknowledges the 
same, provided that the latter shall inform the Ministry of the incident within seven (7)  
Federal Decree by Law No. (33) of 2021  Concerning Regulating Labour Relations  31 
 business days as of the time of his knowledge of the occurrence of the inciden t. 
3. If the Worker violates the instructions of the Establishment's internal system related to 
the safety of work and Workers or the workplace, provided that they are written and 
displayed in a visible place, and that the Worker has been informed thereo f. 
4. If the Worker fails to perform his basic duties according to the employment contract and 
continues to breach them despite conducting a written investigation with him for this 
reason and warning him twice of dismissal in case of repetition.  
5. If the Worker discloses any of the work secrets related to industrial or intellectual 
property, which results in losses to the Employer, missing an opportunity for the Employer or gaining a personal benefit to the Worker.  
6. If during working hours he is  found drunk or under the influence of a narcotic or 
psychotropic substance or has committed an act contrary to public morals in the 
workplace.  
7. If in the course of his work, the Worker commits, against the Employer, the manager or 
any of his superiors  or colleagues, a verbal or physical assault or any other form of 
assault punishable under the laws in force in the State.  
8. If the Worker is absent from work without a legitimate reason or an excuse acceptable to 
the Employer for more than twenty (20) non -consecutive days, or more than seven (7) 
consecutive days.  
9. If the Worker illegally exploits his job position to obtain personal results and gains.  
10. If the Worker works for another Establishment without complying with the controls and 
procedu res established in this regard.

Article (45) 
Cases of Worker Leaving Work Without Warning  
The Worker may leave work without warning while retaining his rights upon termination of 
service in any of the following cases:  
1. If the Employer breaches his obligations towards the Worker stipulated in the contract, 
this Decree by law, or the resolutions issued in implementation thereof, provided that 
the Worker notifies the Ministry fourteen (14) business days prior to the date of  leaving  
Federal Decree by Law No. (33) of 2021  Concerning Regulating Labour Relations  32 
 work, and that the Employer has not removed the effects resulting from such breach 
although he had been notified by the Ministry.  
2. If it is proven that the Employer or his legal representative has assaulted the Worker or subjected him to viole nce or harassment during work, provided that he informs the 
concerned authorities and the Ministry within five (5) business days as of the date he is 
able to report.  
3. If there is a grave danger in the workplace that threatens the safety or health of th e 
Worker, provided that the Employer has known of its existence, and has not taken 
measures that indicate its removal. The Executive Regulations of this Decree by law shall 
specify the controls for grave danger.  
4. If the Employer assigns the Worker to perform work that is fundamentally different from the work agreed upon under the employment contract, without the Worker's written 
consent, except in cases of necessity in accordance with the provisions of article (12)  of 
this Decree by law.

Article (46) 
Termination of service due to medical unfitness  
The Employer may not terminate the Worker's service for lack of health fitness, before he 
has completed the leaves legally entitled to him, and any agreeme nt to the contrary shall be 
void, even if it has been concluded before the provisions of this Decree by law come into 
force.

Article (47) 
Unlawful Termination of Worker's Service 
1. The termination of the Worker's service by the Employer shall be unlawf ul if the 
termination of the Worker's service is due to his filing a serious complaint to the Ministry 
or filing a case against the Employer that has been proven to be true.  
2. The Employer is obligated to pay a fair compensation to the Worker estimated by the 
competent court, if it is proven that the dismissal is unlawful in accordance with Clause  
Federal Decree by Law No. (33) of 2021  Concerning Regulating Labour Relations  33 
 (1) of this Article. The amount of compensation shall be determined taking into account 
the kind of work, the amount of damage incurred by the Worker and the d uration of his 
service. In all cases, the amount of compensation must not exceed the wage of the Worker for a period of three (3) months, calculated according to the last wage received thereby.  
3. The provisions of Clause (2) of  this Article shall not prejudice the right of the Worker to 
the warning allowance and the end -of-service gratuity entitled thereto in accordance 
with the provisions of this Decree by law.

Article (48) 
Continuity of Employment Contracts  
Employment contra cts in force at the time of a change in the form or legal status of the 
Establishment shall remain effective, and the new Employer shall be responsible for 
implementing the terms of those contracts, in addition to implementing the provisions of 
this Decree  by law and its Executive Regulation and the resolutions issued in 
implementation thereof, as of the date of amending the Establishment's data with the Competent Authorities.

Article (49) 
Transfer of Worker After End of the Employment Contract  
In the event of the end of the employment contract in accordance with the provisions of this Decree by law, the Worker may move to work for another Employer in accordance with the 
conditions and procedures specified in the Executive Regulation of this Decr ee by law.

Article (50) 
Unlawful Absence from Work  
1. If the foreign Worker is absent from work, for no legitimate reason, before the end of the 
contract period, no other work permit shall be gran ted thereto to join other work in the 
State in accordance with the provisions of this Decree by law, for a period of one year as  
Federal Decree by Law No. (33) of 2021  Concerning Regulating Labour Relations  34 
 of the date of the absence from work. Also, no other Employer who knows of the 
foregoing may employ him or keep him in his serv ice during that period.  
2. The Ministry may exempt some job categories, skill levels, or labour from the provisions of Clause (1) of this Article, in accordance with the controls and procedures specified by the Executive Regulation of this Decree by law.  
3. The Employer shall notify the Ministry of the incident of absence from work in accordance with the procedures specified in the Executive Regulation of this Decree by law.

Article (51) 
End -of-Service Gratuity for Full- Time Workers  
1. The national Worker is entitled to an end -of-service gratuity upon the end of his service, 
in accordance with the legislation regulating pensions and social security in force in the 
State.  
2. The foreign full- time Worker, who has completed one or more years of continuous 
service, is entitled to an end -of-service gratuity upon the end of his service, calculated 
according to the basic wage, as follows:  
a. The wage of twenty -one (21) days for each year of the first five years of service.  
b. The wage of t hirty (30) days for each year in excess of that.  
3. The foreign Worker is entitled to a bonus for parts of the year in proportion to the 
amount spent in work, provided that he has completed one year of continuous service.  
4. The days of absence from work without pay shall not be included in the calculation of the duration of service.  
5. Without prejudice to what is decided by legislation regarding the granting of pensions or retirement benefits to Workers in some Establishments, the end -of-service gratuity shall 
be calculated according to the last basic wage received by the foreign Worker, for those who receive their wages by month, week, or day, and according to the average daily wage stipulated in the provisions of this Decree by law for those who re ceive their wages 
by piece -meal.  
6. The foregoing is provided that the total end -of-service gratuity for the foreign Worker  
Federal Decree by Law No. (33) of 2021  Concerning Regulating Labour Relations  35 
 does not exceed two years' wage.  
7. The Employer may deduct from the end -of-servic e gratuity any amounts that are due by 
law or by a judgment, in accordance with the conditions and procedures specified by the 
Executive Regulation of this Decree by law.  
8. The Cabinet may, upon the proposal of the Minister and after coordination with t he 
Concerned Authorities, approve other alternative systems for the end -of-service gratuity 
system, and the decision issued thereby shall specify the conditions, controls and mechanism of contribution to these systems.

Article (52) 
End -of-Service Gratuit y for Workers of Other Types of Work  
The Executive Regulation of this Decree by law shall define the mechanism for regulating 
the end- of-service gratuity for foreign Workers in work types other than full- time, in a 
manner that enhances the efficiency and attractiveness of the labour market, and what the 
interests of both parties to the employment contract require.

Article (53)  
Payment of Worker's Entitlement at the End of the Contract  
The Employer shall pay the Worker, within fourteen (14) days as of the date of the end of the 
contract, his wages and all other entitlements stipulated in this Decree by law and the 
resolutions issued in implementation thereof, the contract or the Establishment's Articles of 
Association.

Article (54)  
Individual Labour Disputes  
The text of article (54) of Federal Decree by Law No. (33) of 2021 Regulating Labour 
Relations shall be replaced with the following text:  
1. If the Employer, Worker or any beneficiary thereof dis putes concerning any of the rights 
entitled to any of them under the provisions of this Decree by law, he is required to apply  
Federal Decree by Law No. (33) of 2021  Concerning Regulating Labour Relations  36 
 to the Ministry which shall examine the application and take whatever is considered 
necessary for settlement of dispute between t hem amicably.  
2. The Ministry shall issue a final decision on the dispute whenever the claim amount subject of the dispute does not exceed (50,000) Fifty Thousand Dirhams, or whenever the dispute was because of the non -adherence of any of the parties to the decision of 
amicable resolution of the dispute previously issued by the Ministry and regardless of the claim amount.  
3. The Ministry's resolution issued to decide upon the dispute in accordance with its 
capacities stipulated in clause (2) of this article , shall have the power of an execution 
writ, and it shall be appended with a writ of execution in accordance with the usual 
procedures; and any party of the dispute parties may –  within (15) fifteen business days 
as of the day of notifying him of the resolution, file a case before the Competent Court of 
Appeal to examine the dispute. The Court shall schedule a session to examine the case 
within (3) three business days and shall rule upon it within (15) fifteen business days as of the date of filing the case ; and the judgment issued by the Court of Appeal – in 
accordance with the provisions of this clause – shall be a final judgment. Filing the case 
shall result in the suspending the execution of the aforementioned resolution.  
4. The Ministry shall, in the ev ent that an amicable settlement is not possible within the 
period specified by the Executive Regulation of this Decree by law, refer the dispute to the competent court and such referral must be annexed with a memorandum that 
includes a summary of the dispu te, the parties' arguments, and the Ministry's 
recommendation.  
5. The Ministry may, during the course of the dispute, compel the Employer to continue 
paying the Worker's wages for a maximum of two months, if the dispute causes the 
Worker's wages to be susp ended, and in accordance with the Executive Regulation of 
this Decree by Law.  
6. The Minister may issue a resolution to impose other administrative procedures or measures on the Establishment, to avoid that the existing individual dispute may lead to 
a col lective labour dispute that would harm the public interest.  
7. The competent court shall, within three (3) business days as of the date of receipt of the  
Federal Decree by Law No. (33) of 2021  Concerning Regulating Labour Relations  37 
 application, set a date for a session to consider the lawsuit, and a summon to this effect 
shall be se rved upon both parties of the dispute and it shall resolve the lawsuit promptly.  
8. The competent court shall dismiss the lawsuit if the procedures referred to in article have not been followed.  
9. The lawsuit for any rights entitled under the provisions o f this Decree by law shall not be 
heard after the lapse of one year as of the date of the maturity of the right claimed.

Article (55) 
Exemption from Judicial Fees  
1. Labour lawsuits shall be exempted from judicial fees at all stages of litigation and execution, as well as the requests submit ted by Workers or their heirs of which value 
does not exceed one hundred thousand (100,000) AED.  
2. The Cabinet may - upon the proposal of the Minister of Justice - amend the value 
referred to in Clause (1) of this Article, by increase or decrease, whenever necessary.

Article (56) 
Collective Labour Disputes  
1. If the Employer and all Workers of the E stablishment or a group of them have a dispute, 
and an amicable settlement is not possible, the Employer or Workers must submit a 
complaint to the Ministry in accordance with the controls and procedures specified in 
the Executive Regulation of this Decree by law.  
2. The Minister may impose administrative procedures or measures on the Establishment, 
to avoid that the existing collective dispute may harm the public interest.  
3. The Cabinet may -  upon the proposal of the Minister -  form one or more committ ees 
called (the Collective Labour Dispute Committee), to consider collective the labour 
disputes which the Ministry is unable to settle amicably. The issued decision shall specify 
the formation, tasks, and system of work of such committees, the mechanism f or issuing 
and implementing their decisions, and other provisions related to the proper conduct of work before the committees.  
   
Federal Decree by Law No. (33) of 2021  Concerning Regulating Labour Relations  38

Article (57) 
Labour Inspection  
1. The Ministry's staff, who are authorised by a decision issued by the Minis ter of Justice in 
agreement with the Minister, shall have the capacity of judicial enforcement in proving 
what is in violation of the provisions of this Decree by law and its Executive Regulation 
and decisions issued in implementation thereof. They shall h ave the right to enter the 
relevant establishments, detect violations, and issue the necessary reports.  
2. The Executive Regulation of this Decree by law shall define labour inspection 
procedures.

Article (58)  
Penalties  
The application of the penalties stipulated in this Decree by law shall not prejudice any 
severer penalty stipulated by any other law.

Article (59) 
A fine not less than (20,000) AED and not exceeding (100,000) AED shall be imposed on any 
person who:  
1. Provides incorrect information or documents with the intention of recruiting a foreigner 
to the State to work therein.  
2. Obstructs or prevents a Worker assigned to implement the provisions of this Decree by law and its Executive Regulation and the res olutions issued in implementation thereof or 
attempts or starts to attempt to prevent him from performing his job, whether by using 
force, violence, or by threatening to use force or violence.  
3. Discloses a work secret that he has had access thereto by virtue of his work as a public 
servant charged with implementing the provisions of this Decree by law and its 
Executive Regulation and the resolutions issued in implementation thereof, even after 
leaving work.   
Federal Decree by Law No. (33) of 2021  Concerning Regulating Labour Relations  39

Article (60) 
A fine not less than (50,000) A ED and not exceeding (200,000) AED shall be imposed on any 
person who:  
1. Employs a Worker with no permit to work for him.  
2. Recruits or employs a Worker and leaves him unemployed.  
3. Uses work permits for purposes oth er than those for which they are issued.  
4. Closes an Establishment or suspends its activity without taking the procedures for 
settling the rights of Workers, in violation of the provisions of this Decree by law, its 
Executive Regulation and the resolutions issued in implementation thereof.  
5. Employs a juvenile in violation of the provisions of this Decree by law.  
6. Agrees to employ a juvenile in violation of the provisions of this Decree by law, who has 
guardianship or custodianship over the juvenile.

Article (61) 
A penalty of imprisonment for a period not less than one year and/or a fine not less than two hundred thousand (200,000) AED and not exceeding one million (1,000,000) AED shall be 
imposed on any person who exploi ts or misuses the electronic powers granted thereto to 
access the Ministry's systems, or enables others to do so, resulting in a disruption in the 
labour procedures or relations.

Article (62) 
The fine imposed in accordance with the provisions of this Dec ree by law shall be repeatedly 
imposed on Employers according to the number of Workers against whom the violation is 
committed, not exceeding ten million (10,000,000) AED.

Article (63) 
A fine not less than five thousand (5,000) AED and not exceeding one m illion (1,000,000) 
AED shall be imposed on any person who violates any other provision of this Decree by law, 
its Executive Regulation and the resolutions issued in implementation thereof.   
Federal Decree by Law No. (33) of 2021  Concerning Regulating Labour Relations  40

Article (64) 
In the event of repetition of any of the violations referred to in this Decree by law and its 
Executive Regulation and resolutions issued in implementation of it, before the lapse of one 
year as of the previous judgment against the perpetrator for a similar violation, the 
perpetrator shall be punished by im prisonment and/or double the fine stipulated in this 
Decree by law.

Article (65)  
Final Provisions  
1. The rights stipulated in this Decree by law represent the minimum rights for Workers, 
and the provisions thereof shall not prejudice any of the rights  granted to the Worker 
under any other legislation, agreement, acknowledgment, system, or employment 
contract that grants the Worker rights that are more beneficial than the rights established 
under the provisions of this Decree by law.  
2. An Employer or  Worker may not misapply the provisions of this Decree by law, its 
Executive Regulation, and the resolutions issued in implementation thereof. Neither of 
them may do any act that would pressure the freedom of the other or the freedom of 
other Workers or Em ployers to achieve any interest or point of view adopted thereby, 
which is incompatible with the freedom of work or the competence of the authority 
competent to settle disputes.  
3. Every condition that violates the provisions of this Decree by law, even if it is prior to its entry into force, shall be considered null unless it is more beneficial to the Worker; and every release, reconciliation, or waiver of the rights arising to the Worker under this 
Decree by law shall be considered null, if it is in violation of its provisions.  
4. The Employer may create and implement organisational programmes or organisational 
regulations in the Establishment that are more beneficial to the Worke r than what is 
established under the provisions of this Decree by law and its Executive Regulation. If 
such programmes and regulations conflict with the provisions of this Decree by law, the 
conditions that are more beneficial to the Worker shall apply.   
Federal Decree by Law No. (33) of 2021  Concerning Regulating Labour Relations  41 
 5. The Employer may not review the terms and conditions of the valid employment 
contract with the Worker prior to the issuance of this Decree by law, with the aim of 
implementing the provisions of this Decree by law, unless such amendments aim to 
achieve a  greater interest and benefit for the Worker. The employment contract may be 
updated upon its expiry in accordance with the provisions of this Decree by law.  
6. The Employer or Worker may terminate the indefinite -term employment contract 
concluded before  the entry into force of this Decree by law, for a legitimate reason after 
notifying the other party in writing for a period not less than thirty (30) days if the 
service period is less than five (5) years; a period not less than sixty (60) days if the 
service period is more than five (5) years; and a period not less than ninety (90) days if 
the service period is more than ten (10) years.  
7. The amounts of money enti tled to the Worker or his family members under the 
provisions of this Decree by law shall have a priority over all the money of the Employer, and they shall be collected directly after the paying the amounts due to the public treasury and the legal alimony  awarded to the wife and children.

Article (66)  
Adopted Language  
1. Arabic shall be the language adopted in all records, files, data, forms, and others stipulated in this Decree by law, its Executive Regulation and the resolutions issued in 
implementation thereof.  
2. The Employer is obligated to use Arabic in concluding contracts with Workers, and in writing and publishing instructions and circulars that he is obligated to issue; provided 
that, besides Arabic, another language understood by the non -Arabic speaking Worker 
shall be used, and the text in the other language shall match the Arabic text, and in the 
event case of dispute, the Arabic text  shall prevail.

Article (67) 
Calculation of Periods and Dates  
The periods and dates referred to in this Decree by law shall be calculated according to the  
Federal Decree by Law No. (33) of 2021  Concerning Regulating Labour Relations  42 
 Gregorian calendar; and in the implementation of this Decree by law, a calendar year shall 
be deemed  as three hundred and sixty -five (365) days, and the month shall be deemed as 
thirty (30) days.

Article (68) 
Regularisation  
1. The provisions of this Decree by law shall apply to indefinite -term employment 
contracts concluded in accordance with the afo rementioned Federal Law No. (8) of 
1980. 
2. Employers must rectify their situation and convert indefinite -term employment contracts 
into fixed -term employment contracts, in accordance with the conditions, controls and 
procedures stipulated in this Decree by law within one year as of the date of its entry 
into force; and the Minister may extend this period for other periods as required by the 
public interest.  
3. Subject to the provisions of Clause (2) of this Article, the Employer may calculate the 
end- of-service gratuity in accordance with the provisions of the indefinite -term 
employment contract stipulated in the aforementioned Federal Law No. (8) of 1980.

Article (69) 
Grievance Against Ministry's Decisions  
The parties to the labour relation may file a grievance against the decisions issued by the 
Ministry in accordance with the procedures specified in the Executive Regulation of this 
Decree by law.

Article (70)  
Powers of the Cabinet  
For the purposes of thi s Decree by law, the Cabinet shall:  
1. Approve the conditions, controls, and procedures for classifying the Establishments subject to the provisions of this Decree by law, and the privileges offered for each  
Federal Decree by Law No. (33) of 2021  Concerning Regulating Labour Relations  43 
 category of these Establishments.  
2. Approve  the conditions, controls and procedures for classifying the skill levels of 
labourers in the labour market subject to the provisions of this Decree by law, and the 
privileges offered for each level.  
3. Approve the conditions, controls and procedures for  employing students of educational 
institutions accredited in the State, in a manner that enhances the efficiency of the labour market and the competitiveness of labourers and enables Employers to benefit from human capabilities.  
4. Approve the condition s and controls for employing disabled persons in the State, in jobs 
appropriate to them and their physical, technical and intellectual abilities; determining 
their rights, duties and privileges, in a manner that contributes to empowering this 
category and involving them in the development process; and motivating Employers to 
employ them and provide all means of support and empowerment to them.  
5. Adopt policies, legislation and systems that would regulate the labour market in the 
State, enhance the partic ipation of the State's citizens in the labour market, and motivate 
Employers to attract and employ citizens.  
6. Issue decisions that would limit the repercussions of any general exceptional 
circumstances that the State is going through on the labour sect or in the State.  
7. Change the periods, percentages, or values contained in this Decree by law, according to 
the changes and needs of the labour market, and what is required by the public interest.  
8. Determine the fees necessary to implement the provisions of this Decree by law and its 
Executive Regulation.

Article (71) 
Competences of the Ministry  
For the purposes of this Decree by law, the Ministry shall:  
1. Propose policies, strategies and legislation regarding the following:  
a. Encouraging and motivating Establishments to invest in training and empowering 
Workers, and raising their skill level, efficiency, and productivity.  
b. Adopting modern and technological techniques and attracting the best competencies  
Federal Decree by Law No. (33) of 2021  Concerning Regulating Labour Relations  44 
 according to the requirements of the labour market in the State to raise productivity.  
c. Training students of public and higher education institutions accredited in the State.  
2. Developing unifie d models for the organisational regulations for labour relations in 
Establishments and issuing controls and mechanisms for their adoption in the interest of 
the Worker and the Employer.

Article (72)  
The Executive Regulation  
The Cabinet shall -  upon the proposal of the Minister -  issue the Executive Regulation of this 
Decree by law.

Article (73)  
Repeals  
1. Federal Law No. (8) of 1980 Regulating the Labour Relations shall be redeemed.  
2. Any provision that violates or contradicts the provisions of this Decree by law is hereby 
repealed.  
3. The resolutions, systems, and rules in force before the entry into force of the provisions 
of this Decree by law shall remain in force in a manner that  does not conflict with its 
provisions until the issuance of their replacements in accordance with the provisions of this Decree by law.

Article (74)  
Publication & Enforcement of this Decree by law  
This Decree by law shall by published in the Official Gazette and shall come into force as of 
02 February 2022.  
Khalifa h Bin Zayed Al Nahyan  
President of the United Arab Emirates  
 
Issued by us at the Palace of the Presidency in Abu Dhabi:  
On: 13/Safar/1443H  
Corresponding to: 20/September/2021