With effect from 2 February 2022, the existing UAE labour law, Federal Law no. 8 of 1980 concerning labour relations, (the “1980 Law”) will be repealed and replaced by the new UAE labour law, Federal Decree Law no. 33 of 2021 concerning labour relations, (the “New Labour Law”). The New Labour Law is a revamp of the UAE’s employment regulations. It comprehensively updates the 1980 Law. It brings it more in line with modern workplace requirements and provides both employers and employees with some additional flexibility and aligns with international standards and practices on many counts. How the New Labour Law will be perceived and applied in practice will also depend on the executive regulations (“Executive Regulations”) which are referred to in many sections of the New Labour Law to provide additional guidance and clarity. The Executive Regulations have not been published to date and the date when they will be published is currently unknown.

Some of the key changes introduced by the New Labour Law are:

1. Discrimination: Protection for employees from discrimination based on (i) race; (ii) colour; (iii) sex; (iv) religion; (v) nationality or social origin; and (vi) disability. Unlike in the DIFC Employment Law and the ADGM Employment Regulations, ‘marital status’ and ‘age’ are not protected grounds under the New Labour Law. Further, there is no definition for ‘disability’ and it remains unclear for time being whether it includes “mental” disability.
2. Part Time/Flexible...

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