UAE private sector employees hope for two-day weekly off in 2022

Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

The expat community has praised UAE leadership for the new labour laws for private sectors, which aim to protect the rights of both employers and the employees.

Decreed by President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the new law, which will be implemented in February next year, regulates labour relations in the private sector.

However, the laws, which have raised the interest of the private sector employees most are about paid leaves.

With the new laws taking effect from February 2, 2022, employees in private sector hope that from next year they will be getting more than one day paid weekly off days.

According to the one of the new regulations “all private sector workers are entitled to a paid, weekly rest day, with the possibility of increasing the weekly rest day at the discretion of the employer.”

However, it remains to be seen as to how many private firms actually decide to increase the weekly rest day from one day to more than one day.

Usually private firms give only one day pad weekly off to its employees, which most of the employee feel is too less and they need atleast two days off per week.

The new Regulation of Labour Relations Law in the UAE also strengthens the principle of equal opportunities, emphasises equal access to jobs and enjoyment of their rights.

It also prohibits all forms of discrimination, bullying, violence, harassment, & threats in the work environment.