Companies face fines for UAE labour law offences

Thirty-two companies have been referred to the public prosecutor by the Ministry of Labour for breaches relating to the sponsorship of workers.

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ABU DHABI // Thirty-two companies have been referred to the public prosecutor by the Ministry of Labour for offences relating to the sponsorship of workers.

Thirteen are accused of allowing sponsored workers to work for other companies and 19 are accused of using unregistered staff.

Labour law provides for a Dh50,000 fine per employee on the owner of any company that uses unregistered labourers, does not provide them with a job after registration, or lends workers to other companies without obtaining the necessary permission.

The ministry inspected work sites in Khalifa City A, Al Gharbia and Mussaffah, said Mubarak Al Dhaheri, undersecretary of the Ministry of Labour. Employers who break labour laws will be refused new work permits or registration of any new facility under their names for six months after an offence, the ministry said.

New permits will also not be issued to offenders until they pay their fines.

Mohsen Al Nessi, head of the inspections department in Abu Dhabi, said that the highest numbers of offences were on building sites.

“However, results of the campaign have identified many law-abiding facilities, which reflect the ministry’s hard work towards maintaining the labour market through its comprehensive monitoring systems,” he said.

ksinclair@thenational.ae