A number of changes were introduced across the Gulf Cooperation Council states during the course of 2022 (several of which have now been implemented, while some are due to take effect later in 2023). In this article, the first of a short series covering those changes, we provide a brief summary of the key employment developments that are expected to affect employers in the UAE.
UAE
Discrimination / Bullying and Harassment
On 2 February 2022, Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (the UAE Labour Law) came into force in the UAE. This prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, colour, sex, religion, national origin, social origin or disability that would impair equal opportunities for an employee or prejudice an employee from gaining and/or continuing employment. In a significant change, the UAE Labour Law also now prohibits sexual harassment and/or any verbal, physical or psychological form of bullying against an employee, by the employer or the employee’s supervisor/colleagues. Employers may be found liable for fines for both one-off and multiple acts for breaches of the law, starting from AED5,000 to AED1 million. It is therefore very important to ensure that all employees and management are aware of the changes. In particular, this may be a good time to review policies and provide training on equality, diversity and dignity within the workplace.
Fixed Term Contracts
Owners of a Blackburn takeaway say they were subjected to racist abuse and calls for a boycott after being wrongly accused of fly-tipping. Nabzys, on New Chappel Street in Mill Hill, was accused o...