Employee's rights
1. After probationary period (usually 6 months), employees have a right for a paid sick list saving full salary during the first 15 days and payments of half salary during next 30 days of absence at work due to health reasons. Following sick period is not paid. In case of sick leaving, the employee should give to the employer the official medical verification (medical note) about physical incapacity to work. Nowadays in UAE, there is no Federal Law, which obliges employers to give mandatory medical insurance to their foreign employees. In January 2007 Abu – Dhabi emirate was the first one who adopted a regulation about mandatory medical insurance for foreign citizens in the UAE territory and members of their family, and it is a responsibility of employers. It is expected that the Government of Dubai will adopt same regulation in the nearest future.
2. After termination of labor contract the employer bears financial responsibility of repatriation of the foreign employee. Repatriation expenses are: one way air ticket till the capital of foreign country from where the foreign employee has come; also due to the agreement of both parties expenses for repatriation of members of family of foreign employee, transportation of his goods and chattels, severance pay and other grants for an employee due to labor contract conditions. These grants can include payment for non-used vacation, overtime paycheck and other payments. But if the termination of contract is because of initiative of employee, the employee pays for his repatriation himself if this amount is not more than his severance pay.
3. Severance pay is for every employees after one year or more of continuous working on same concern and its amount is 21 days from the amount of basic salary for every year during 5 first years, and 30 days from the basic salary for every extra year of working if the period of working in concern is more than 5 years. It is important that the amount of severance pay cannot be more than the amount of salary for 2 calendar years. Due to the state №132 of Labor Law of UAE: If the labor contract was signed for indefinite term (term on default is 3 years) and employee wants to quit after 1 year of continuous working in concern without waiting for 3 year expiration, then he has right for 1/3 of the severance pay.
