The UAE has launched a multilingual booklet outlining the rights and responsibilities of workers in the emirates, the WAM news wire reported on Monday.
The booklet, entitled ‘The Worker: Rights and Duties’, was released by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior.
It will be available in Arabic, English, Filipino (Tagalog), Persian, Chinese and Urdu and will be distributed to all federal government departments, concerned NGOs, labour accommodations, and media outlets.
The booklet will outline the various rights and duties of workers in the emirates.
Lt. Colonel Salah Al Gul, Director of Office of Culture of Respect for Law said workers “should have a legitimate residency in the country so as to enjoy all rights enshrined in international legislations and conventions on human rights.”
He added that it was also the right of each worker to be aware of the terms and conditions stated in the work contract that the worker signed with their employer as “ignorance of the worker about the contract’s terms and conditions will be of no use and unjustifiable.”
The booklet outlines that workers have a right to religious freedom, a translator if they are giving a legal statement and should be allowed to lodge a complaint if they see fit.
However, they are also expected to abide by UAE laws, must not damage property, must not stage a strike and sit-in or demonstration and obey all safety instructions.
Workers are also not allowed to consume drugs, intoxicating drinks or any other unknown substances or they will be subject to “legal accountability.”
“The worker is also demanded to report any crime he sees and prevents from circulating rumours otherwise he will face a jail term up to three years,” the WAM report added.
