Abu Dhabi sees 40% drop in labour dispute cases

The decline in labour cases reflects the success of the Abu Dhabi Judicial Department’s campaigns to raise awareness of the legal rights of employees

by Neesha Salian

April 4, 2023

labour disputed drop in Abu Dhabi by 40 per cent Abu Dhabi Judicial Department photo WAM

Abu Dhabi has seen a sizeable 40 per cent drop in labour disputes during 2022 compared to the same period in 2021.

According to the Abu Dhabi Judicial Department (ADJD), this was a result of awareness efforts, which contributed to strengthening the legal culture of workers and companies and introducing them to their rights guaranteed by the country’s labour laws.

Counsellor Youssef Saeed Al Abri, the Under-Secretary of the ADJD, said the progress of legal procedures in labour cases, and the manner in which disputes are addressed in the labour court, helped achieve enhancing economic stability for institutions and individuals.

This was in accordance with the department’s strategic plan and the emirate’s vision, which contributed to supporting the status of the emirate as an attractive destination for foreign investment and business, he added.

Labour rights awareness campaigns

Through these awareness campaigns, the department has been able to reach a large number of clients by visiting their locations and providing them with translations in up to five languages such as Arabic, English, Urdu, Pashto and Bengali, as a convenient manner to speak to the target groups in their own languages, reported the state news agency, WAM.

Labour cases in Abu Dhabi drop by 40% during 2022: Judicial Department#WamNews https://t.co/axi5tZi4Ey

— WAM English (@WAMNEWS_ENG) April 3, 2023

This has helped make workers aware of the important laws that guarantee their rights in the UAE, and to answer their questions and enquiries, and provide legal advice as well.

In 2022, several campaigns were conducted at labour camps to make labourers familiar with their obligations stipulated in the new labour law.

The campaigns emphasised the need to:

comply with occupational safety and health instructions
preserve production means and tools
not to possess work-related papers or electronic documents for personal interests,
adhere to good conduct,
maintain confidentiality
maintain work
diligently develop functional and professional skills
raise performance levels

Other highlights of the campaigns

The campaigns aimed at introducing employees to contracting procedures with employers, to the correct methods and channels for filing complaints, to obtaining the rights under the employment contract in case of termination of the contract or the employer’s failure to fulfil his or her obligations, and to the termination requirements, WAM reported.

Other facets showcased by the awareness campaigns included the mechanism for obtaining unemployment insurance, regulations of transfer to another facility for work, the way to obtain a new work permit as per the specified rules, the importance of referring to the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation in case the agreed job opportunity was not provided by the employer or the worker did not receive the salary on time, adhering to the laws to express dissatisfaction and filing complaints through legal means without causing chaos and make gatherings.

Protecting workers in the UAE

In other news, a ministerial resolution was issued in January by the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE), detailing the channels for reporting work-related illnesses and injuries, and the obligations of employers.

Ministerial Resolution No 657 of 2022 describes procedures for recording workplace accidents and illnesses in a database, allowing for the settlement of associated problems and identification of risks, with the goal of strengthening the occupational health and safety system in the private sector.

Read: UAE’s MoHRE defines guidelines on reporting workplace injuries, illnesses

An employer is obligated to treat and compensate an injured worker for any work-related illness or injury. The value of the work injury compensation is calculated based on the worker’s most recent basic salary.

The worker receives compensation after the release of the medical report indicating the percentage of impairment within a maximum of 10 days.

In January, the UAE’s Unemployment Insurance Scheme opened for subscription on January 1.

Also read: UAE Jobs: What you should know about the new Unemployment Insurance Scheme