Children found working illegally, UAE ministry reveals

It is not clear whether they were employed by the same company, but the employers are among six companies being prosecuted for illegal hiring, the Ministry of Labour said in a statement.

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Two cases of children being employed illegally have been uncovered by authorities in Dubai.

It is not clear whether they were working for the same company.

The employers are among six companies being prosecuted for illegal hiring, the Ministry of Labour said. Children between the ages of 15 and 17 are allowed to work only in a limited range of jobs, with parental approval.

Maher Al Aboud, the ministry’s assistant undersecretary for inspections, said the companies would be referred to the public prosecution and subjected to ministry penalties, including a ban on new hiring.

Few infringements were found during the inspections of 80 companies, Mr Al Aboud said, which shows "an increase in awareness among business owners as to the importance of hiring temporary, contract-based labour, including minors, in accordance with the law and decisions regulating the labour market", reported Al Ittihad, the Arabic-language sister paper of The National.

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