Domestic workers in the UAE are governed by Federal Decree-Law No. 9 of 2022 on Domestic Workers and its implementing regulations, rather than the general UAE Labour Law for private-sector employees. The law regulates employment contracts, wages, working and rest periods, annual and sick leave, employer obligations, termination, recruitment and dispute resolution.
Domestic workers are entitled to important protections, including at least 30 days of paid annual leave, one paid weekly rest day, 12 hours of daily rest including at least 8 consecutive hours, and up to 30 days of sick leave per contractual year subject to the legal conditions.
This guide explains the main rights and obligations under UAE domestic-worker law and what workers and employers should know when an employment relationship ends or a dispute arises.
UAE Labour Law for Domestic Workers
Which Law Applies?
Domestic workers are regulated under a separate legal framework from employees working in the UAE private sector.
The main legislation is Federal Decree-Law No. 9 of 2022 Concerning Domestic Workers, together with its implementing regulations under Cabinet Resolution No. 106 of 2022. The UAE Government confirms that Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021, which regulates labour relations in the private sector, does not apply to domestic workers.
This distinction matters because rights such as working hours, leave, termination and end-of-service benefits must be assessed under the domestic-worker framework rather than automatically applying rules designed for private-sector employees.
Who Is Considered a Domestic Worker?
The UAE domestic-worker framework covers a defined range of occupations performed in or for a household.
The UAE Government identifies 19 occupations, including:
- Housemaid
- Sailor
- Guard
- Shepherd
- Jockey
- Tamer
- Falcon caretaker
- Worker
- Housekeeper
- Cook
- Nanny or babysitter
- Farm worker or grower
- Gardener
- Personal trainer or coach
- Private tutor
- Home nurse
- Personal assistant
- Private agricultural engineer
- Personal or family driver
Whether a particular worker falls under the domestic-worker law depends on the nature of the work and the applicable legal classification.
Employment Contract
Domestic employment should be based on an employment agreement setting out the terms of the relationship, including the work to be performed and the agreed wage.
The employer must comply with the contractual obligations as well as the requirements imposed by the domestic-worker legislation. Recruitment offices must also use employment agreements in the forms approved through the Ministry’s system.
A written contract is particularly important if a disagreement later arises over salary, duties, leave, termination or other employment rights.
Domestic Worker Rights and Entitlements
Working Hours and Rest Periods
The domestic-worker law regulates working and rest periods differently from the general private-sector Labour Law.
A domestic worker must receive at least 12 hours of daily rest, including at least 8 consecutive hours of rest. The implementing framework also regulates working and rest periods.
The 12-hour figure should therefore not be presented simply as a maximum 12-hour working day. It refers to the required period of daily rest.
Weekly Rest Day
A domestic worker is entitled to one paid day of rest each week.
If the worker is required to work on the weekly rest day, the law provides for an alternative day of rest or payment equivalent to a day’s wage, subject to the applicable rules.
Salary and Wage Protection
The employer must pay the domestic worker the wage agreed under the employment contract and in accordance with the applicable legal requirements.
According to the UAE Government, wages must be paid within 10 days from the due date.
Keeping records of salary payments is important for both sides. Where wages are disputed, the employment agreement and payment records may help establish what was agreed and what has been paid.
Annual Leave
Domestic workers are entitled to at least 30 days of paid annual leave for each year of service.
Where the worker has completed more than six months but less than one year of service, the entitlement is two days of leave for each month of service. The law also regulates situations where annual leave is interrupted or the worker is required to work during leave.
If a domestic worker wants to spend annual leave in their home country, the employer must bear the cost of a return ticket once every two years, subject to the conditions established by the law.
Sick Leave
A domestic worker may be entitled to up to 30 days of sick leave during each contractual year, provided the need for the leave is established by a medical report issued by a health authority approved by the UAE.
The law provides:
| Period of sick leave | Payment |
|---|---|
| First 15 days | Full pay |
| Following 15 days | Half pay |
The statutory entitlement is subject to the conditions in the domestic-worker law. For example, where the illness resulted from the worker’s misconduct, the law excludes paid or half-paid sick leave.
This should not be confused with the sick-leave entitlement under the general private-sector Labour Law, which follows a different framework.
End-of-Service Gratuity
End-of-service gratuity for domestic workers requires particular care because the domestic-worker law doesn’t itself state the commonly cited “14 days’ basic salary per year” formula.
Article 22 of Federal Decree-Law No. 9 of 2022 provides that the Council of Ministers may approve the systems and mechanisms for calculating and paying domestic workers’ end-of-service gratuity.
Therefore, employers and workers should not automatically apply a gratuity formula from another UAE employment regime to a domestic-worker relationship. Any calculation should be checked against the rules applicable at the time of the claim.
Passport and Personal Documents
Domestic workers retain possession of their personal identification documents, including passports and IDs.
The UAE Government specifically lists possession of personal identification documents among domestic workers’ entitlements.
Accommodation, Food and Healthcare
For full-time domestic workers, the law places several obligations on the employer.
These include:
- Providing suitable accommodation
- Providing meals and appropriate clothing where required for full-time workers, unless otherwise agreed
- Paying the agreed wage
- Providing what the worker needs to perform the agreed work
- Bearing medical treatment costs in accordance with the applicable health system or providing health insurance where required by law
The employer must also comply with the other obligations imposed by the employment agreement and domestic-worker legislation.
Protection from Abuse and Exploitation
The domestic-worker framework establishes obligations intended to protect workers and regulate recruitment and employment conditions.
Recruitment offices must provide workers with information about the nature of the work and wage before entry into the UAE, use licensed arrangements and inform workers about their rights and the appropriate channels where their rights or freedom are violated.
Employers and recruitment offices must comply with the legal requirements governing the treatment, employment and protection of domestic workers.
Ending Domestic Worker Employment
Termination
Termination of a domestic-worker employment relationship is governed by the domestic-worker law and the terms of the employment agreement.
The legal consequences can depend on who terminates the relationship, the reason for termination, whether the agreement has expired, and whether either party has breached their obligations.
Employment termination can also affect outstanding wages, unused leave, return travel and other amounts owed to the worker. The circumstances should therefore be reviewed before the employment relationship is ended.
Changing Employers
Changing employers is subject to the conditions established by the domestic-worker legislation and its implementing regulations.
The rules distinguish between different circumstances surrounding the end of employment and may affect who is responsible for repatriation costs. For example, the law provides that an employer is not responsible for returning a worker to their home country where the worker joins another job in accordance with the applicable legal provisions.
Because changing employers can also involve work permits, recruitment arrangements and immigration requirements, the specific circumstances should be checked before making the change.
Repatriation
Repatriation obligations can arise when the domestic employment relationship ends.
The domestic-worker law addresses the employer’s responsibility for return travel in certain circumstances, while also providing exceptions where the worker moves into another lawful employment arrangement.
The exact responsibility can therefore depend on how and why the employment relationship ended.
Recruitment Agencies
Domestic-worker recruitment offices are regulated under the implementing framework.
Among other requirements, licensed offices must provide information about the work and wage, comply with approved employment arrangements, follow Ministry requirements and deal with recruitment agencies outside the UAE in accordance with the applicable controls. They must also comply with Ministry-approved service fees and other regulatory requirements.
Where a dispute involves a recruitment office, the Ministry has specific authority to examine disputes between employers and recruitment agencies.
Domestic Worker Disputes and Legal Protection
Dispute Resolution
Disputes between domestic workers and employers are initially handled through the Ministry’s dispute-resolution process.
If the parties cannot resolve the dispute amicably, the Ministry may refer the matter to the competent court together with a summary of the dispute, the parties’ arguments and its recommendation.
The UAE Government states that the Ministry attempts to resolve domestic-worker complaints amicably within two weeks. If settlement is unsuccessful, the matter is referred to the competent court.
Domestic-worker cases are also exempt from litigation fees at all stages and are subject to expedited handling under the applicable framework.
Evidence and Documentation
When an employment dispute arises, both parties should preserve documents and records that may establish the terms of the relationship and what occurred during employment.
Useful records may include:
- Employment agreement
- Salary and payment records
- Leave records
- Medical reports
- Work-permit or recruitment documents
- Written communications about employment conditions
- Records relating to termination
- Relevant Ministry or recruitment-office correspondence
The appropriate evidence depends on the nature of the dispute.
Filing a Complaint
Either the domestic worker or employer may have access to the Ministry’s dispute-resolution process where a dispute falls within the domestic-worker framework.
The UAE Government states that a labour complaint may be submitted to the Ministry, which first attempts an amicable settlement before referring an unresolved matter to court.
There is also an important limitation period to keep in mind: according to the UAE Government’s current guidance, claims concerning rights arising under the domestic-worker law are inadmissible after three months from the date of termination of employment.
Because deadlines and procedural requirements can affect a claim, a party involved in a dispute should act promptly rather than waiting until the deadline approaches.
5. Domestic Workers vs Private-Sector Employees
Domestic workers and private-sector employees in the UAE are governed by different federal employment frameworks.
| Issue | Domestic Workers | Private-Sector Employees |
|---|---|---|
| Main legislation | Federal Decree-Law No. 9 of 2022 | Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 |
| Scope | Defined domestic-worker occupations | Employees within the private-sector framework |
| General Labour Law applies? | No | Yes |
| Daily rest | At least 12 hours, including 8 consecutive hours | Governed by the private-sector Labour Law |
| Weekly rest | One paid day per week | Governed by the private-sector Labour Law |
| Annual leave | At least 30 days per year | At least 30 days per year after the applicable service period |
| Sick leave | Up to 30 days per contractual year, subject to conditions | Separate private-sector sick-leave rules |
| Recruitment | Regulated domestic-worker recruitment offices | Different employment/recruitment framework |
| Disputes | Ministry process, followed by court where unresolved | Private-sector labour dispute process |
The distinction is important because similar terms, such as annual leave or sick leave, do not necessarily mean that the same legal rules apply. The UAE Government expressly excludes domestic workers from the scope of Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 and identifies Federal Decree-Law No. 9 of 2022 as the specific framework for domestic workers.
How Al Ramsy Advocates Can Help With Domestic Worker Disputes
Domestic-worker disputes can involve more than a disagreement over wages. Issues may involve termination, unpaid amounts, leave entitlements, contractual obligations, recruitment arrangements or disputes about the circumstances in which employment ended.
Al Ramsy Advocates & Legal Consultants can assist clients in assessing their legal position and understanding the UAE legal framework applicable to their dispute.
Legal support may include:
- Reviewing the domestic worker’s employment agreement and relevant documents
- Assessing outstanding wages, leave or other employment-related claims
- Advising on termination and the legal consequences of ending employment
- Reviewing disputes involving employers, workers or recruitment arrangements
- Assisting with the Ministry complaint and settlement process
- Advising on evidence and documentation
- Representing clients where a dispute proceeds to court
- Providing legal guidance on the appropriate steps for resolving the dispute
For disputes that cannot be resolved through the applicable administrative process, legal representation may help ensure that the relevant documents, claims and arguments are properly presented before the competent court.
Al Ramsy Advocates provides legal services in the UAE and has experience advising clients on employment-related disputes and litigation matters.
[Get in touch with Al Ramsy Advocates to discuss your legal matter.]
Frequently Asked Questions
What law applies to domestic workers in the UAE?
Domestic workers are primarily governed by Federal Decree-Law No. 9 of 2022 on Domestic Workers and its implementing regulations. The general private-sector Labour Law, Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021, does not apply to domestic workers.
How many hours can a domestic worker work in the UAE?
The domestic-worker framework requires at least 12 hours of daily rest, including at least 8 consecutive hours. Working and rest periods are regulated under the domestic-worker framework and its implementing rules.
How many days of annual leave does a domestic worker get in the UAE?
A domestic worker is entitled to at least 30 days of paid annual leave for each year of service. Workers with more than six months but less than one year of service are entitled to two days of leave for each month of service.
How much sick leave is a domestic worker entitled to?
A domestic worker may receive up to 30 days of sick leave per contractual year where the need is supported by the required medical report. The first 15 days are paid and the following 15 days are half-paid, subject to the conditions of the law.
Can an employer keep a domestic worker’s passport?
The UAE Government identifies possession of personal identification documents, including passports and IDs, as a domestic worker entitlement.
Where can a domestic worker file a labour complaint?
A domestic worker may submit a labour complaint to the Ministry. The Ministry first attempts an amicable settlement and may refer an unresolved dispute to the competent court.
Is there a deadline for domestic-worker claims in the UAE?
The UAE Government currently states that claims concerning rights arising under the domestic-worker law are inadmissible after three months from the date of termination of employment.
Conclusion
The UAE provides domestic workers with a dedicated legal framework that regulates their employment relationship and protects their rights. Federal Decree-Law No. 9 of 2022 covers important areas including wages, working and rest periods, annual and sick leave, accommodation, healthcare, termination and dispute resolution.
Because domestic workers are governed by a separate law from the general private-sector Labour Law, employers and workers should check the specific rules that apply to domestic employment rather than relying on general UAE labour-law provisions. The distinction is particularly important when dealing with termination, outstanding wages, leave entitlements or end-of-service benefits.
Where a dispute arises, understanding the applicable law and preserving the employment contract and supporting records can help both parties protect their legal position. Professional legal advice can also help assess the circumstances, resolve disputes where possible and provide representation if formal proceedings become necessary.
