» Allow forced labour or human trafficking Expose the worker to physical harm; Assign tasks that are not covered under the contract. » The maximum working hours for a domestic worker is 12 hours per day. » The Employer should keep a record of how many hours a domestic worker is employed.
Entitlements of the domestic workers
As per the Domestic Labour Law, domestic workers are entitled to: payment of wages, as set out in the standard contract, within 10 days from the day they are due. 1 day of paid rest per week. 12 hours of rest per day, including 8 hours consecutive rest.
Working hours
We do not advise employers to make their domestic workers work more than 12 hours as it is inhumane and it is important that they get a good rest at night.
What are the working hours in UAE? Article 65 of the UAE Labor Law states that maximum normal working hours for employees is 8 hours per day or 48 hours per week. However, for employees of establishments such as hotels and restaurants, there are exceptions. They may be required to work for up to 9 hours per day.
Article 17 of the Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations in the Private Sector, the 'UAE Labour Law'- (PDF, 2.63 MB) identifies the normal working hours for the private sector as 8 hours per day, or 48 hours per week.
The daily working hours shall be regulated so that the worker does not work more than five consecutive hours without intervals for rest , meals and prayer , whose total period shall not be less than one hour . Such intervals shall not be included in the working hours .
A domestic helper is checking with other helpers if they have to work on their days off, as she is required to wake up at 5:45 am every day, vacuum and mop the floor and empty the rubbish – even on her supposed day off.
It comes as no surprise, but being a domestic helper is really tough most of the time.
You may use your time to wash your hair, iron your clothes and write letters, among others. However, a good domestic helper will use part of her free time to tackle special chores like re-potting plants, cleaning the kitchen cupboards, checking and tidying the cloth drawer, or dusting the shoe closet.
The Ministry of Interior will no longer accept no-objection certificates from sponsors permitting certain categories of workers such as housemaids to switch jobs. These workers will receive a six-month ban and will have to re-enter the country on a new visa.
A maid with a six-month probationary period as stated in her contract be terminated immediately. As she is effectively an employee, you may cancel her contract. Because her contract states a six-month probationary period, you can, therefore, terminate her employment immediately.
Can I hire an FDW from another employer on a part-time basis to do household work? No. It is an offence for a foreign domestic worker ( FDW ) to engage in part-time employment, with or without her employer's consent.
Average Salaries and Benefits
According to the survey, the average salary of a housemaid or nanny in the UAE is AED 1,830 per month. Majority or 60 percent of domestic workers earn less than AED 2,000, as compared to 40 percent who earn AED 2,000 or more.
Minimum salary of AED 1100 must be paid on monthly basis to the housemaid or houseworker. Holiday- According to domestic workers right in UAE, they should get at least one day's leave every week. The employer can not deduct the salary for the one-day leave. Rest- Rest is important for every individual.
Do I have to pay the maid salary when she goes on home leave? Yes, employer is to pay home leave (including return air ticket) of at least 14 days if both parties agree to extend the contract. What is a security bond? Employer is responsible for the repatriation of the maid.
A domestic helper should avoid staying overnight outside the employer's house during her day-offs or holidays. Do not use the telephone, except during emergencies and when absolutely necessary. Do not chat with your friends on the telephone and never ring them, unless with your employer's consent.
Start with a greeting. Quick overview of yourself (age, family, why are you working as an FDW?) Your strengths (mention all relevant qualifications) Any particular tasks you're not prepared to do (e.g. you're afraid of dogs, don't know how to handle babies)
The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) does not have a specific rule on the number of hours that you should let your maid rest on her off day. In a guidebook for employer published by MOM: “Most employers provide their foreign domestic helpers with at least eight hours of continuous break from work.”
You must not install them in areas that will compromise her privacy or modesty, e.g. where she sleeps, change clothes, or the bathroom area. Space and privacy: you should provide your FDW with a separate room. If that is not possible, you must ensure that her accommodation has adequate space and privacy.
If your helper is found to be living out, both you and the helper can be charged. In the instance of staying out on the weekend, the problem lies in the legal definition of “reside”. Technically a helper has to sleep at this address, though if she stays out all night on her day off, this is allowed.
Employers may ask their employees to work overtime, but the number of extra hours must not exceed 2 hours per day. In case the nature of the work requires employees to work beyond their official schedule, they must receive compensation.
By law an employee cannot work more than an average 48 hours a week, unless either of the following apply: they agree to work more hours (known as 'opting out' of the weekly limit) they do a job not covered by the law on working hours (sometimes known as the 'working time regulations')
No employer should force an employee to work overtime, but it is common for a contract of employment to include a clause with wording to the effect that if the employer requests it, the employee will be expected to work additional hours owing to the demands of a business.