New labour fee scheme to protect workers’ rights

According to the Gulf News, His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai, has issued a resolution revising the Ministry of Labour’s fees and fines.

The new fee and fine scheme, meant to protect workers’ rights and boost presence of Emiratis in the private sector, will take effect from January 4, according to the latest issue of the official gazette.

The companies having falsified Emiratisation records will invite a fine of Dh20,000 per worker and Dh5,000 will be levied from the companies for providing incorrect information in the Wage Protection System (WPS) to evade or manipulate the regulations per case. The maximum fine in the last case will be Dh50,000.

Non-settlement of employee’s wage for 60 days will attract a fine of Dh5,000 per worker with the maximum of Dh50,000 if the case includes more than one worker. Companies forcing employees to sign forged documents showing that the payment of their dues was made will have to pay Dh5,000 as fine per worker. Dh20,000 is the fine per case for non-compliance with the labourers’ accommodation regulations and for not employing the worker for a period exceeding two months.