Domestic staff need our protection

Protecting domestic workers would add to the UAE’s efforts to strengthen labour rights

Domestic workers have previously been excluded from the labour laws, making them more vulnerable to abuse.
Powered by automated translation

The draft bill for domestic workers passed by the Federal National Council is a step in the right direction. As The National reported, the bill limits domestic staff's working hours, entitles them to a weekly day off and an annual 30 days' paid holiday and sets tough penalties for offenders. Officials in embassies and consulates welcomed the legislation, describing the draft law as "pro-worker" and recommending firm implementation to ensure these rights are guaranteed. Employers should be in no doubt about their responsibilities to the domestic workers under their sponsorship.

Domestic workers have previously been excluded from the labour laws, making them more vulnerable to abuse. The nature of domestic work makes it difficult to monitor employment conditions because the workplace is, in essence, a private space.

It should be noted that many domestic workers are satisfied with their working conditions, enjoy a good functioning relationship with their employers and are given the rights agreed upon in their contracts. Many of this group of workers have been able to help their friends and families forge better lives back home through the money they remit overseas and, indeed, are treated as another member of the family by their employers.

Unfortunately, many are not quite so lucky and are unaware of their rights when things go awry. They may also fear the consequences of reporting their employers and so they choose to remain silent. Implementation of the law will require clear mechanisms to monitor whether wages are paid on time and conditions are being met. In the case of labourers, for example, wage protection is enforced by requiring salaries to be deposited in the bank, but there is a difference between overseeing wages being remitted by a large corporation to a group of workers and a home owner providing a cash payment to a single domestic worker.

The best defence against abuse is through a combination of regulation, discussion and education. Domestic workers could benefit from orientation sessions when they arrive. These sessions could be run by recruitment agencies to help new arrivals know the law. Recruiters should also be actively involved in making sure that workers are given what they are entitled to by regularly following up with them and supporting them when problems arise. Employers should also note that abuse will be dealt with.