The domestic labour law announced by the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE) will come into effect this year in December.
The law aims to strengthen domestic labour rights by providing clear guidelines.
Daily breaks cannot be less than 12 hours with eight working hours observed.
Annual leave of no less than 30 days should be provided and if the service period is less than a year and over six months, two days of leave is provided every month with the start date provided by the employer.
Employers should cover travel to their home country once every two years and if agreed by both parties to not renew their employment contract, only a one-way ticket needs to be covered.
If annual leave is not taken and the contract is terminated, the cash equivalent of the holidays should be given.
Around 30 days of medical leave is provided in a year with the first 15 days full pay and the remaining half pay provided a medical report is given.
Suitable accommodation, meals and clothing should be provided by employers.
Recruitment agencies are required to inform workers about the nature of the work and salaries in advance with medical examinations not exceeding 30 days carried out before their entry into the country.
Recruiting or temporarily hiring domestic workers cannot be done without obtaining a licence from MoHRE.
Workers aged 18 years and below are not allowed to be recruited unless approval is obtained.