Daily rest period, weekly day off for OFWs in new UAE law

MANILA, Philippines — United Arab Emirates President Khalifa Bin Zayed Al-Nahyan has signed a new law on domestic workers which would guarantee better working conditions for Filipinos working there.

This would cover Filipino and other migrant workers in the UAE working as housemaids, watchmen and security guards, chauffeurs, domestic laborers, housekeepers, private coaches, private teachers, babysitters, and private nurses, among others.

Under the new law, domestic workers would have a daily rest period of at least eight hours, regular weekly day off, 30 days paid annual leave and the right to retain personal documents.

The law also prohibits the hiring of anyone under 18 years of age and the assignment of tasks not covered under the contract.

It contains the following provisions:

• Payment of wages, as set out in the standard contract, within ten days from the day they are due
• One day of paid rest per week
• Twelve hours of rest per day, including eight hours of consecutive rest
• Medical insurance provided by the employer
• 30 medical leave per year
• Round-trip ticket home every two years
• Decent accommodation
• Decent meals at employer’s expense
• Clothing, if required by the employer, at the employer’s expense
• Possession of their personal identification papers such as passports, IDs

The Philippines has welcomed the new law, which will take effect two months after it is published in the UAE's Official Gazette.

"We would like to express our gratitude to His Highness Sheikh Khalifa for this kind gesture that would benefit hundreds of Filipinos working as domestic helpers in the UAE," Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano said in a statement.

The new domestic law will benefit an estimated 120,000 of the 618,000 Filipinos working in the UAE, according to Ambassador to Abu Dhabi Constancio Vingno Jr. 

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— Patricia Lourdes Viray