For UAE nationals,

• Social security contributions
  • 12.5% nationally
  • 15% Abu Dhabi
  • GCC nationals, social security ins determined by regulations in the home country

For expatriated in the UAE, the employer cost is dependent on visa requirements.

• Medical Insurance - 0.00 (Paid a year in advance)
• End of Service Benefit Accrual - This is not charged directly to the client but is a provision that they need to be aware of in the case of termination or end of year
• Visa - one-off payment dependent on the employee's skill level

Standard working hours are 8 hours per day, 40 hours per week. The standard workweek is from Sunday to Thursday. During Ramadan work hours are reduced to 6 hours per day.

Overtime payment is not mandatory and may be included in the salary. Hours outside of standard work hours are considered overtime. Employees can not work more than a maximum of 2 hours of overtime per day or 144 hours in total over a 3 week period. For additional hours, employees are paid:

• 125% of the hourly rate for general overtime
• 150% of the hourly rate for work between 10 pm and 4 am
• 150% of the hourly rate for work on rest days and weekends

Employees are entitled to paid sick leave for up to 90 days. The requirement to grant this leave is that the employee worked at least 3 months for the employer after the probation period has ended. This leave is paid at different rates and by the employer:

Employers can unilaterally terminate contracts at any time as long as proper legal notice requirements and compensation are followed. Terminations without notice must be for cause.

Compliant terminations include:

• Voluntarily by the employee
• By mutual agreement
• Unilaterally by the employer:
  • Without cause providing notice and required compensation
  • For cause without notice
    • Probation period
    • Objective grounds
    • Disciplinary dismissal
    • Performance due to unsuitability for the job
• By the expiration of the contract

The UAE celebrates 7 national holidays for a total of 14 days.

National public holidays include:

1. Eid al-Fitr Holiday (5 days)
2. Arafat Day
3. Eid al-Adha (3 days)
4. Islamic New Year
5. Prophet Muhammad's Birthday
6. Commemoration Day
7. National Day (2 days)

Contracts must be in English and can be bilingual. They must be in writing and signed by both parties.

A contract must include:

• Name
• Start date
• Length of the employment
• Job description
• Termination conditions

All employees on a fixed-term contract must be employed on fixed-term employment contracts not exceeding three years, which may be extended for the same period. Employers will have 12 months from Feb. 2, 2022, to transition all their employees onto new contracts.