What is UAE Labour Law?
UAE Labour Law stands for Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021.
Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 is the UAE's private-sector employment law, governing contracts, working hours, leave, termination and end-of-service entitlements.
UAE Labour Law explained
The law replaced the 1980 statute and introduced fixed-term contracts as the standard form, alongside flexible working models including part-time, temporary and job-sharing arrangements.
It sets the framework for annual leave, sick leave, maternity and parental leave, overtime, notice periods and end-of-service gratuity, and prohibits discrimination and forced labour.
It applies to mainland private-sector employment. DIFC and ADGM operate their own employment regimes, and employers spanning both must run two sets of rules in parallel.
How NeuralHR.AI handles UAE Labour Law
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