What are the Maid’s Legal Rights in Dubai?

The legal rights of domestic workers in Dubai are outlined in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Federal Law No. 10 of 2017 on Domestic Workers. This law provides a range of protections for domestic workers, including the right to:

Salary: You are entitled to receive the salary mentioned in the signed contract in UAE dirhams at the end of each month or within a period not exceeding ten days from the due date.

Weekly Rest: You are entitled to one day off per week without any deduction. If you worked on your weekly rest day, you have the right to an alternative rest day or to be given a cash allowance equivalent to the full payment for that day.

Daily Rest: You are entitled to daily rest of not less than twelve hours in total, with at least eight continuous hours.

Annual Leave

1. You are entitled to a 30-day paid annual leave. Such leave may be carried forward to 60 days at the end of the contract. You should agree with your employer on the period during which you can enjoy your annual leave.
2. You have the right to a two-day monthly leave if your service term is less than one year and more than six months.
3. You may not be required by your employer to work during your annual leave more than once in two consecutive years.
4. Upon renewal of your employment contract, you may use your leave days accrued over the course of more than two years in one go.

Cash Allowances and Tickets

1. You are entitled to your full salary plus an equivalent leave allowance equal to your basic salary if you are required to work during some or all of your annual vacation and the period is not carried forward to the following year.
2. You are entitled to a round-trip ticket home every two years if you continue in the same job.
3. You are entitled to an equivalent cash allowance to the two-year vacation fee plus the cost of the ticket if you wish to continue working and not use your vacation.
4. You are entitled to an equivalent cash allowance to your salary for the accrued leave days you didn’t get if your contract is expired or it was terminated by one of its two parties.
5. You are entitled to a return ticket to your country plus equivalent compensation to a one-month salary if the contract is terminated by the employer for reasons that are not your fault.

Sick Leaves

If you are sick, you have the right to take sick leave for a period that does not exceed thirty days in the contractual year, with your full salary for the first fifteen days, but the next fifteen days are unpaid. You have the right to have these leaves connected or separated.

Severance Pay

You are entitled to severance pay if you completed one year or more, and the pay is for fourteen days per year. You are entitled to this pay when your service with the employer ends.

Overall, the legal rights of a maid in Dubai are relatively strong compared to those in many other countries, making the maid feel valued and safe in her environment, which leads to better results! It is important for both employers and domestic workers to be aware of these rights and to ensure that they are being respected.