UAE Lists 7 Entitlements Every Domestic Worker in the Country Is Guaranteed by Law

• The UAE government published an official list of entitlements guaranteed to domestic workers under its Federal Decree-Law
• The list covers everything from rest hours and paid annual leave to possession of personal identification documents like passports
• Workers are also entitled to a round-trip ticket home every two years and capped sick leave under the country's domestic worker protections

The United Arab Emirates has published a formal list of seven legal entitlements that every domestic worker in the country is guaranteed, citing the Federal Decree-Law on domestic labour as its basis.

The government released the information on its official website under the heading "Entitlements of domestic workers," making clear that the protections carry the force of law rather than serving as voluntary guidelines.

What the UAE law guarantees domestic workers

The seven entitlements cover a broad range of working conditions.

• Employers must pay wages within 10 days of the date specified in the employment contract.
• Workers are entitled to one fully paid rest day each week
• 12 hours of rest every single day, at least eight of which must be consecutive.
• Paid annual leave cannot fall below 30 days.
• Workers are also permitted up to 30 days of sick leave per year
• They must receive a return ticket to their home country once every two years.
• The seventh entitlement requires that domestic workers retain possession of their own personal identification documents, including passports and national identity cards.

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Why the passport provision stands out

The explicit protection of identity documents carries particular significance in the regional context. Confiscating passports from migrant workers has been a persistent and widely documented problem across parts of the Middle East, and the UAE's formal inclusion of this right in its domestic labour legislation represents a clear institutional stance against the practice.

The rest provisions are equally structured. Twelve hours of daily rest, with a guaranteed block of eight consecutive hours, alongside a full paid day off each week, establishes a concrete minimum for daily working conditions. When combined with 30 days of paid annual leave each year, the framework gives domestic workers a defined and enforceable baseline.

The round-trip ticket entitlement carries considerable practical weight for the large number of migrant workers employed in private homes across the UAE, many of whom travel from countries in South and Southeast Asia as well as Africa. The biennial home visit provision ensures that workers maintain a formal connection to their countries of origin throughout their employment.

Source: YEN.com.gh