Dubai Workers Can Claim Their Rights Legally: Trust in Legal Channels

This article from 2016 highlights the steps taken by Dubai Police and Dubai Municipality to increase awareness of workers' rights and improve workplace conditions, particularly in reducing stress caused by delayed wages.¹

While the core principle—that workers should know and use legal channels to resolve disputes—remains the focus, the methods, authorities, and legal frameworks in the UAE have been significantly updated since 2016.

Here is an analysis of the key points from the article, with modern context and current procedures:

⚖️ Workers' Rights and Dispute Resolution in the UAE: An Update

The 2016 article detailed the efforts of Dubai Police (Human Rights Department) and Dubai Municipality in addressing worker grievances, particularly regarding delayed wages.² Since then, the Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 (the UAE Labour Law) and subsequent ministerial resolutions have solidified and streamlined the process, giving the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE) the central role.³

1. Authority for Labour Disputes

2016 Context	Current (2025) Procedure and Authority
Dubai Police Human Rights Department's Temporary Employment Conditions Control Section handled complaints and had a "free line" and "smart app" for workers.	The primary authority is the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE). MoHRE handles labour complaints for the private sector (excluding some Free Zones) through: * Toll-Free Call Center: 800 84 (Labour Claims and Advisory) or 600 590000 (General Inquiries). * MoHRE Website/App: Dedicated e-services for filing complaints, including a confidential "My Salary Complaint" option.
Goal: Build trust and prevent workers from resorting to unlawful methods (like strikes).	Goal: Resolve disputes amicably, enforce the law, and ensure swift resolution (conciliation within 14 days is the target, sometimes faster in Dubai).

2. Protection Against Delayed Wages (WPS)

The article noted that delays in giving wages were the top cause of stress, and compensation for delayed wages amounted to Dh319 million (2009-2015).⁴ This issue is now strictly managed by the Wages Protection System (WPS).⁵

• Legal Mandate: Employers must pay wages through the WPS.⁶ The salary is considered delayed if not paid within 15 days of the due date (unless the contract specifies a shorter period).⁷
• Penalties: Failure to comply with WPS within the allowed grace period subjects the company to strict penalties, including fines, warnings, suspension of new work permits, and potential referral to the Public Prosecution.⁸
• Complaint: Workers can file a confidential "My Salary Complaint" through MoHRE to report non-payment without their identity being immediately disclosed to the employer.⁹

3. Resolution Time and Trust

The article highlighted that complaints were addressed within 45 minutes of receipt and that trust had increased to 93% by 2015.¹⁰

• Current Resolution: MoHRE now has the authority to issue final and binding decisions in labour disputes where the claim value is less than AED 50,000.¹¹ This dramatically speeds up the resolution process for most workers' complaints by bypassing the lengthy court procedures.¹²
• Court Exemption: Workers are exempt from paying judicial fees for labour claims that are less than AED 100,000.¹³

4. Ongoing Awareness

The importance of awareness campaigns mentioned by Lt Colonel Al Helli and Dubai Municipality remains crucial.

• Modern Channels: Awareness and support for workers are now widely provided through MoHRE's multilingual digital platforms, smart apps, and continuous outreach initiatives by local police and government entities (like the "Worker's Welfare" initiatives often cited by Dubai Police). These campaigns continue to focus on legal rights, duties, safety, and available communication channels.¹⁴

The core message remains the same: the UAE legal system provides robust, accessible, and increasingly efficient channels for workers to claim their rights, particularly concerning timely salary payments, which has significantly reduced the need for unlawful actions.

Would you like me to look up the current MoHRE penalties for repeated salary delays under the Wages Protection System?

 

New law to protect Investors Trust in Dubai’s Financial Market

Dubai: His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, in his capacity as Ruler of Dubai issued Law No (4) of 2016 on the Dubai Economic Security Centre,new law to safeguard investors and to ensure Dubai’s financial stability.

The centre aims to maintain Dubai’s position as a global financial and economic hub, ensure its financial stability and protect its investments from crimes that may harm its economy.

The new law seeks to ensure the proper implementation of international best practices in Dubai’s financial markets, protect investors from risks, combat illegal and harmful activities, and predict and manage risks and negative economic trends that can jeopardise the stability of the market and the national economy.

The new law will enhance investors’ trust in Dubai’s financial markets and encourage them to use Dubai as a hub for their businesses, contribute to ensuring the integrity of procedures related to financial operations, and encourage market players to actively combat activities that can affect economic security and increase awareness about threats that such activities might pose.


Centre’s authority

Entities subject to the centre’s authority include local government bodies that are guaranteed minimum profit by the government as well as those that are subsidised by the government and any company or institution licensed to engage in economic activity in the emirate, including licensed companies operating in special development zones, free zones including the Dubai International Financial Centre.

The centre will also have oversight over charities operating in the emirate as well as any institution that is required to be monitored by the centre as per a decision of the Chairman of Dubai Executive Council.

The new law also defines the roles and responsibilities of the Dubai Economic Security Centre, which include: combating corruption, fraud, crimes, bribery, embezzlement, destruction of public property, forgery, counterfeiting, money laundering , terrorism financing, illegal organisations or other crimes that may be committed by entities that are under the jurisdiction of the Centre.

The law authorises the centre to monitor and analyse economic phenomena in the emirate and reduce any potential negative impact; monitor abuses, financial irregularities, financial markets, institutions, commercial sectors and free zones in Dubai; supervise trading of currencies, commodities, precious metals and listed and unlisted trading securities; supervise donations sent or received by charities; develop rules and procedures to prevent interactions with individuals or organisations involved in terrorism, or with any individual who maintains contacts with these organizations.

Reviewing legislation

As per the law, the Dubai Economic Security Centre is tasked with proposing and reviewing legislations related to the supervision of financial and economic activity in the emirate, preparing specialised studies on the financial and economic affairs of the emirate in order to enhance economic and investment awareness, in addition to providing recommendations in this regard; providing support and advice on the economic security of entities under its jurisdiction upon request; providing training programmes; and preparing reports on important issues affecting the economic security of Dubai for submission to the Chairman of the Dubai Executive Council.

Furthermore, the centre is tasked with the development and publication of reports and periodic statistics on the financial and economic status of the emirate, participation in councils and committees focused on Dubai’s financial and economic affairs, following up on criminal proceedings that may impact the emirate’s economy, and combating activities and practices that may have a detrimental impact on the emirate’s economy and its resources.

The new law stipulates that the executive arm of the centre will have an Executive Director and will be staffed by a number of administrative, financial and technical employees. The law also outlines the roles of the Executive Director, who will be appointed by the Chairman of the Dubai Executive Council.

The new law enables the Centre to coordinate with concerned authorities to carry out its responsibilities and tasks such as supervision, research, investigation, information gathering, taking preventive measures, data and information exchange, financial and administrative auditing, as well as recording crimes and offences in accordance with the provision of this law.

The centre will also provide protection and ensure the safety of individuals collaborating with it for the purpose of maintaining the economic security of the emirate by not disclosing information about the identity and whereabouts of the collaborator. 
For the purposes of this Law, providing information on matters affecting the economic security of the emirate shall not be considered a violation. Any person providing the information shall not be subject to any legal or disciplinary action unless proven to be providing false information.

The new law outlines the penalties for violations of its provisions. Disclosure of information or data that is considered confidential as per the Law could bring imprisonment of up to a maximum of one year and a minimum of three months, apart from a fine of up to Dh50,000 and a minimum of Dh10,000. Any person who violates the provisions of this law will incur a minimum fine of Dh10, 000 and a maximum fine of Dh500, 000.

The law requires concerned individuals and entities to fully cooperate with the Centre in order to enable it to fulfill its mandate without hindrances. 
The new law annuls any other legislation that contradicts or challenges its provisions. The new law shall be published in the Official Gazette and is valid from the date of its publication.

UAE Nurseries must have licence from Ministry of Social Affairs

A new law regulating nurseries in the UAE that was recently adopted by the Council of Ministers prohibits nurseries from operating without a licence from the Ministry of Social Affairs,  the Arabic newspaper Al Khaleej has reported.

Violators face both fines and imprisonment, the ministry has warned.

Meanwhile, Mouza Al-Shoumi, director of the children’s department at the Ministry of Social Affairs, told ‘Al Khaleej’ that Article II of the law says that nurseries must provide care and education to children in a safe environment.
She added nurseries must help to develop the child's personality, talents, and mental and physical abilities, including communication skills.
She said the new law empowers local authorities in each emirate to lay down conditions for granting licences to nurseries.She said according to the new law, the chairman of the company seeking a nursery school licence should be an Emirati. The ministry will not approve issue of a licence if the chairman is not an Emirati.

She also said the new law contains a commitment to children with special needs. It also mentions qualifications of nursery school staff, their appointment and the building’s specifications.

Checking tyres could save your life

Faulty tyres and hot weather are a deadly combination for road users and police and experts say worn out tyres are a leading cause of accidents in the country.

A little attention can save lives and make the road safe for all, according to the police who reported some 31 deaths were caused by tyres bursting last year. These accidents mostly occur on highways.

"An expert checks the tyres' health just once a year when a vehicle comes for registration renewal. And then nobody bothers to check them again,". It is a technical matter and a tyre safety expert must be consulted regularly.

Tyre safety depends on various factors including weather, use of brakes, wheel balance, the vehicle's load, air pressure, age of the tyres, and the original quality of the tyres. They must be inspected thoroughly at least once a month, he said.

Air pressure in tyres is very important in hot weather. This pressure must be in accordance with the vehicle's specification mentioned in the manual

Rakaish Khurana, another tyre safety expert in Al Ain, said people normally go for cheaper options when it comes to buying new tyres. The market is full of substandard tyres. "I have noticed that people are more concerned about price rather than quality and safety," he said.

Quality tyres should be used in the vehicles instead of buying cheap, low-quality tyres. A good quality tyre can withstand temperatures of 250 degrees Centigrade, providing enhanced safety against tyre bursts, he said.

He said most drivers do not understand the importance of tread depth. This depth must be at least 1.6mm. "I recommend tyres be changed when this depth reaches 3mm depending on weather conditions, the use of the vehicle, road conditions, and a car's fitness including wheel balancing and alignment," said Khurana. People need to be very careful when they buy a used vehicle as they are not aware of the condition of the tyres. "They must be replaced immediately even if their age is less than three years in some cases." he added.

A traffic police officer said tyres are a major concern when it comes to road safety. The Ministry of Interior has recently released statistics saying 720 people lost their lives on UAE roads last year of which 31 deaths were associated with tyre- related accidents. Though this number is slightly less than the previous year much still needs to be done.

Main areas: Safety aspects

    Air pressure: Do not neglect air pressure. Low pressure damages the tyres and high pressure could lead to a blown tyre. Air pressure must also be maintained in accordance with a particular vehicle's specifications. Tyres must also be correctly inflated.

    Tread depth: It is vital for tyres to keep grip on the road. Low tread depth compromises the effectiveness of brakes and steering ability of vehicles. The minimum legal depth is 1.6mm, but don't wait for it and replace the tyres even before it gets to this level.

    Wheel alignment: This helps in reducing wear and tear and stress on the tyres. It also enhances balance and steering ability of a car.

    Wheel balancing: The health of all of the tyres is important for a safe road trip and wheel balancing is also critical for this. An out of balance tyre increases wear and tear and compromises safety. It can cause annoying shakes and dangerous mechanical damage in the vehicle.

    Tyre rotation: Good health of tyres demands routine rotation. After every five to seven thousand kilometres, experts suggest tyre rotation to maintain equal use of centre and shoulders of the rear and front tyres.