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.

UAE banks enforce new cheque rules and Landlords ask UAE tenants for new cheques

Landlords have put up notices in their buildings, asking tenants to replace the old rent cheques issued last year, as banks have stopped accepting them.

“Kindly bring new cheques as old cheques are no longer being accepted by our bank,” said a notice posted in one building.
An owner of a building in Bur Dubai told this website: “We deposited a couple of rent cheques last month, but they still haven’t been cleared. Our bank told us that they are processing the cheques, but it will take a lot more time. So we have asked our tenants for replacement of the cheques.”

M Dimitre, who deposited a rent cheque early this April, still hasn’t got the amount credited to his account.

“I deposited a rent cheque in April. Even after a month, it hasn’t got cleared. I cannot get the cheque back as the bank says it is processing it. I have asked my tenant to pay me the rent for the next quarter in cash, or provide me with a new cheque.”

Property management companies, however, have taken the requisite precaution beforehand by not accepting any old cheques from tenants on renewal or for a new lease.

Zubin Firozi, Head of Property Management, Head Office, Better Homes, mentions: “In the beginning of 2010 we had notified most of our tenants of Central Banks’ regulations of the cheques, and the tenants on their renewals provided us with their new cheques.

“For new leases we had only a couple of cases where we faced this issue of the old cheque taking time to be processed by the bank, but since then we have been quite vigilant and only accept the new cheques from tenants,” he adds.

It was reported in January last year, UAE banks had started enforcing rules by the Central Bank to turn down old cheques and accept only those with high security standards within a drive to combat forgery and ensure monetary stability. Banks, nevertheless, continued to accept old cheques.

In a circular to banks in late 2009, the UAE Central Bank asked banks to switch to the new money tools in a bid to prevent fraud and set a deadline at the end of 2010. It told the banks to ensure that the new cheques to be issued are thermo-chromic sensitive and chemical sensitive.

While being thermo-chromic sensitive will prevent fraudsters from using the colour photocopy of cheques to cheat unsuspecting people, the chemical sensitivity will render it impossible for anyone to tamper with the signature or remove or alter the content on the cheque leaf.

Retiring from private sector - UAE rules

Dubai today has a growing private sector that is attracting professionals from all countries. As per UAE laws, one can begin working from the age of 18 till the age of 60, and in special cases even up to 70 years. Although the retirement age varies from job to job, expatriates working in the private sector who are over 60 years of age require the approval of the Ministry of Labour.

From 2011 onwards, private sector employees can now get two year extensions to work after their retirement age, as compared to the previous one year extensions. Fees for two year extensions up to the age of 65 range from AED 500 for first category companies, AED 800 for second category A companies, AED 1,700 for second category B companies, AED 2,200 for second category C companies and AED 5,200 for third category companies. For employees over the age of 65, in addition to the fees mentioned above, an additional AED 5,000 is charged with the labour card being valid for two years.

Emiratis working in both the government and private sectors are eligible for pensions provided they have fulfilled certain conditions as stipulated by the General Authority for Pension & Social Security (GAPSS). These include: either reaching the retirement age of 60, or having worked for a minimum 20 years in total in government/private sectors, provided that he/she has submitted his/her resignation.

The government also guarantees a social security allowance for women working in local or federal government who are sole bread-winners for their Emirati children. Eligible women having Emirati children include divorcees, widows or those married to Emirati men who are disabled/unable to work. In case the husband cannot work because he is disabled, a medical certificate has to be shown. For cases, where the husband is unemployed, the woman must give a written declaration to this effect, to be eligible for the social security allowance.

While expatriates working in the government & private sector are not eligible for pension, they are eligible for end-of-service benefits also known as gratuity or severance pay.

Calculation of Gratuity/Severance Pay

According to Article 132 of the UAE Labour Law, a worker who has completed one or more years of continuous service shall be entitled to severance pay at the end of his employment. The severance pay shall be calculated as follows:

a. 21 days’ wage for each of the first five years of service

b. 30 days’ wage for each additional year of service provided always that the aggregate amount of severance pay should not exceed two year’s wage.

Severance pay shall be calculated on the basis of the wage last due, but shall not include whatever is given in kind, housing allowance, transport allowance, travel allowance, overtime pay, representation allowance, cashier’s allowance, children’s education allowance, allowance for recreational and social facilities and any other bonus or allowances (Article 134)

Deductions in Severance Pay

Where a worker under an indefinite term contract abandons his work at his own initiative after a continuous service of not less than one year and not more than three years, he shall be entitled to one-third of the severance pay. Such a worker shall be entitled to two-thirds of the said severance pay, if his continuous service exceeds three years up to five years and to the full severance pay if it exceeds five years. (Article 137)

Where a worker under a definite term contract abandons his employment at his own initiative before the expiry of his contract period, he shall not be entitled to severance pay, unless his continuous period of service exceeds five years. (Article 138)

Provident /Pension Fund

Where the firm has a provident fund for the workers and the rules of the fund stipulate that whatever the employer pays into the fund for the worker’s account is in discharge of his legal obligation in respect of severance pay, the worker shall be paid the savings balance in his account or the severance pay due the Law, whichever is greater. Where the rules of the fund do not stipulate that the amounts paid by the employer are in discharge of his legal obligation towards the severance pay, the worker shall receive whatever is due to him in the provident fund in addition to the statutory severance pay. (Article 140)

Where a firm has a retirement fund, insurance or similar scheme, a worker who is entitled to a retirement pension may opt for treatment under the said pension or severance pay or under the pension or insurance scheme, whichever is more advantageous to him. (Article 141)

To ensure that you receive your rightful pension benefits, all retirees and eligible pensioners are required to regularly update their data with GPSSA. You can contact GPSSA on Toll free 800-10 from any emirate between 7.30 am and 5 pm.

Etihad Rail revealed the final designs of UAE train

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Etihad Rail, master developer and operator of the UAE railway network, unveiled on Wednesday the livery for its locomotives.

"The locomotives will be finished in a durable light grey paint scheme, relieved with broad red bands and the Etihad Rail logo situated near the middle of the body line," Etihad Rail said.

Nasser Al Suwaidi, chairman of Etihad Rail, said "The livery is aligned with Etihad Rail's established brand identity, which incorporates the colours of the UAE flag as a symbol of national pride and unity. The locomotives will be operational end of 2013 in the Western Region."

The company said that delivery of the locomotives is scheduled for late 2012, and will support the inaugural service of transporting granulated sulphur from the Shah and Habshan fields to Ruwais.

Etihad Rail is developing a 266km route in the Western Region that will carry up to 22,000 tonnes of granulated sulphur daily from the Shah and Habshan fieklds for export at the port of Ruwais.

Hammam Shamma, chief economist and analyst at Al Fajr Securities, told the Gulf News that this project will stimulate the UAE economy. This route marks the first phase of the 1,200km mixed-traffic network that will span the Emirates to provide a modern, safe, and efficient method of transport for both freight and passengers.

Domestic workers get more protection from exploitation in UAE

In a bid to ensure decent working and living conditions for a population that outnumbers family members in nearly a quarter of Emirati families, a new draft law seeks to regulate the domestic worker industry in line with international standards.

The draft law aligns the UAE's rules with the International Labour Organisation's Convention 189 and Recommendation 201 on Decent Work for Domestic Workers, which was ratified by the UAE last year.

The bill, approved by the UAE Cabinet in January, must now be passed by the Federal National Council and signed into law by President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

According to a copy of the bill, domestic workers should receive a written contract of employment and end-of-service gratuity. Significantly, the bill makes it incumbent on the employer to pay recruitment agency fees. It also guarantees payment in cash at least once a month and at least one weekly day off.

There are around 750,000 domestic workers in the UAE, making up nearly 20 per cent of the expatriate workforce, according to the Ministry of Interior's statistics at the end of 2007. As many as 65 per cent of them are based in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah. They outnumber family members in 22 per cent of Emirati families.

In a Twitter post, immediately after the Cabinet approved the draft law, His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, said: "We have approved a new draft law for domestic workers in the UAE. The new law shall protect the rights of both workers and employers."

The law promotes decent work for domestic workers, including social protection and access to specialised tribunals at the Interior Ministry and courts. It sets 18 years as a minimum age for a domestic worker, which is consistent with international rules on elimination of child labour.

Placement agencies have to ensure that domestic workers are informed of their terms and conditions of employment, such as the nature of work, the usual workplace, the remuneration and the period of daily and weekly rest as set out by the executive regulations, before crossing national borders.

Obligations

According to the law, a model contract accredited by the Ministry of Interior will be signed by the employer and the employment agency, setting out job description and qualifications of the worker as well as obligations of the employer, mainly the nature of the work and the remuneration.

This contract will also provide for financial obligations towards the worker travelling to the UAE, fees of the agent and the period required to bring in the employee.

If the agent fails to honour the obligations set out in the contract, the employer shall have the right to decide against offering the job to the worker. The agent will then bear the cost of sending the worker to his/herhome country.

The employer also has the right to claim compensation for any inconvenience caused by the agent's failure to meet the contract's terms.

The employer has to sign a model contract accredited by the Ministry of Interior with the domestic worker, with copies being delivered to the worker, the employer and the Ministry of Interior.

Arabic shall be the language of the contract. Where a foreign language is used in addition to Arabic, the Arabic version shall be regarded as authoritative.

Duration

The contract, which can extend to no more than two years and is renewable for similar periods, shall more particularly specify the date of its conclusion, the date on which work is to begin, type of the work and workplace, duration of the contract, the remuneration and how it is paid as well as any other terms required by the nature of the work.

According to the most recent global and regional estimates produced by the ILO, at least 52.6 million women and men above the age of 15 were domestic workers.

This figure represents some 3.6 per cent of global wage employment. Women comprise the overwhelming majority of domestic workers, 43.6 million or some 83 per cent of the total. Domestic work is an important source of wage employment for women, accounting for 7.5 per cent of women employees worldwide.

The law sets one year as the time-limit for different lawsuits within which an aggrieved person can approach the court for redress or justice.

A domestic worker, the law states, may be engaged on probation for six months, during which his or her service may be terminated by the employer with the placement agency bearing the cost of sending the worker home if necessary.

The placement agent has to repay all fees if the contract is revoked of the worker's own will, because of the worker or because agreed terms of the employment contract are not honoured.

But a worker shall not be put on probation more than once in the service of any employer, unless the two parties agree to engage the worker in a different job.

To address abusive practices in respect of payment of wages, the law lays down a number of principles with regard to the protection of remuneration.

Payment

Remuneration, which has to be communicated to the worker and agreed by him or her before travelling to the UAE, has to be paid no later than the 10th of the following month and a receipt is signed upon every payment.

No amount of money may be deducted from a worker's salary or end of service gratuity except for a debt payable in execution of a court ruling or repair of any damage caused by the worker, provided that the deduction shall not exceed a quarter of the worker's salary. If a dispute arises, it has to be settled by the special tribunals at the Ministry of Interior or be referred to the court.

Violators will face full force of the law

Violators of the law will receive tough penalties including prison terms and hefty fines.

    A worker who fails to keep in confidence secrets of his employer even after the term of employment shall receive a prison term of up to six months, a fine of up to Dh100,000 or both.

     Those who encourage a domestic worker to quit his job or offer shelter to him or her or stop law enforcement officers from doing their job shall receive the same penalty and the court may also order deportation after the prison term is served.

     Placement agencies which break the law shall be punished with a fine of up to Dh100,000 and recurrence of the offence will multiply the fine.

    An employer who asks a domestic worker to do a job that is not within the scope of duties indicated to perform in the contract shall receive a fine of up to Dh5,000, which will also be applicable to the worker and the employer who fail to report the employee's absence from work to the police within 48 hours.

    Cases filed by workers under this law shall be exempt from court fees at all stages of litigation and shall be heard in an expeditious manner.

    Placement agencies of domestic workers have to adjust their legal status within a year from the date this law takes effect.

Categories of domestic workers

    The new professions under the domestic helpers' category are (only for households, not companies): Housemaid, imam, private sailor, watchman and security guard, household shepherd, family chauffeur, household horse groomer, household falcon carer and trainer, domestic labourer, housekeeper, private coach, private teacher, babysitter, household farmer, private nurse, private PRO, private agriculture engineer.

     The existing professions under domestic helpers category: Maid, household farmer and family chauffeur.

Legal assurance: Rights and responsibilities

Once the law is issued, a domestic worker will be entitled to the following benefits in terms of leave:

     A weekly day off with full pay. Where circumstances require an employee to work on this day, he or she will be granted a day in lieu or receive its payment. The regulations will set out working hours and rest breaks for every type of job.

    A paid annual leave of 14 days, with any other holidays or days of absence from work on account of sickness reckoned as part of the annual leave, if such holidays fall within it. The annual leave can be carried forward to the following year and the employer has to grant a return ticket to the worker to travel home every two years. Payment for the annual leave and the travel allowance can be paid in cash to the worker who opts not to travel home.

    A domestic worker shall enjoy sick leave of up to 30 days a year and such leave shall be calculated as follows: the first 15 days with full pay, while the next 15 days will be without pay.

Employment conditions

    Effective protection against all forms of abuse, harassment and violence and workers should also be provided with decent living conditions that respect their privacy.

    The right to revoke the contract on one's own if the employer fails to honour his or her obligations.

    Obligations of the employer shall include all terms and conditions as set out in the contract in addition to ensuring the work environment, tools and equipment are safe for the workers, who shall also be provided with proper accommodation, clothing and food, medical care, good treatment, respect and dignity, and physical safety.

    An employer may not engage a domestic worker in any work with a third party unless legal terms are met and consent of the Ministry of Interior is obtained. The employer has to pay compensation for any occupational injuries or diseases the worker may contract.

Worker's duties

    A domestic worker shall honour all obligations set out in the contract, in addition to performing duties in person and in keeping with instructions of the employer. The employee has to exercise due care in performing his or her duties and may not be absent from work without a valid reason. The worker has to respect customs and traditions of the society and public norms.

    Orders of employees have to be met unless these orders are not within the scope of the duties the worker had undertaken to perform in the job contract, are in violation of the law or public order, endanger the worker's safety or hold him or her accountable.

     The worker has to exercise due care to preserve the employer's private properties, tools and equipment and must not use these equipment outside the workplace, unless the employer's consent is obtained.

    The employee shall also keep in confidence the employer's secrets during and after the term of employment.

Mutually binding rules

- Both employers and employees are bound to report a worker's absence from work to the nearest police station within 48 hours of it coming to light.

- The law makes it mandatory for both the employer and the employee to follow occupational health and safety regulations at all times.

Legal issues and disputes

    Inspectors may not enter the workplace or the worker's accommodation without permission or warrant from the prosecutor and unless a complaint is filed against the worker or the employer or in the event there is reasonable evidence that the law and executive regulations have been breached.

    The Minister of Interior will grant powers to law enforcement officers, who will ensure law and regulations are enforced effectively, arrest violators, inspect placement agencies and workplaces and accommodations in keeping with the law.

    If a dispute arises between the worker and the employer, they must refer it to the Ministry of Interior's specialised tribunals, which will exercise due care to help settle it amicably or refer it to the court.

Entitlements

    At the end of the contract, the employer has to settle all the worker's dues within ten days and, in the case of the worker's death, the employer has to repatriate the body to the worker's home country.

     A worker who completes at least a year of service will be entitled to an end of service gratuity amounting to one month's salary for each year of service.

     The employee shall forfeit entitlement to severance pay if he or she is absent from work for more than 30 consecutive days.

Contract violations

     Either the worker or the employer may revoke a contract of their own will if the other party fails to meet his or her obligations as set out in the contract and the law.

    If the contract is terminated by the employer, he shall provide the worker with an air ticket to travel home, a month's remuneration as a compensation and any other dues, while the worker will bear the cost of travelling home if the contract is ended because of the worker or of his own will.

    A worker will have his or her salary suspended if he or she is detained after a complaint is filed by the employer but once investigation is shelved or a final ruling is issued acquitting the worker, the wage of the entire period has to be paid. However, if the worker is incriminated, the worker will forfeit his remuneration for that period.

    If a complaint is filed against the worker by a third party and the worker is acquitted, that party will have to pay the remuneration of the worker during the detention.