The recruitment office has the following obligations towards the domestic workers:
- providing the worker with information regarding the type, nature of the work required and the wage
- proving that the worker is physically, psychologically and professionally fit
- conducting the required medical examinations of the worker within no more than 30 days prior to his/her entry into the UAE
- educating them about the customs and traditions of the UAE’s society
- providing them a decent equipped temporary accommodation
- treating them with respect
- making them aware of their rights and direct them to the proper channels in the event that their rights or freedom are violated
- providing the employer with any documentation that proves the payment of wages to the worker
- not to demand or receive any commission or financial reward from the workers to bring them to work in the UAE, or for carrying out the process to start working in the country.
In the event of violations of the conditions by the recruitment office, the Decree Law stipulates that an alternative worker should be provided, or a refund of the recruitment fees should be made to the employer, in addition to a compensation for any potential damages due to a breach of contract.
Employers must not hire any domestic worker unless he/she has a valid licence to work. They are required to enter into an employment contract with the worker in accordance with the unified standard contract mandated by MoHRE. The worker must receive a copy of the contract.
The employment contract should include the specified period of recruitment and the basic rights and obligations that the employer shall be committed to, in terms of the domestic worker’s type of work and salary.
It should specify the relevant financial obligations of the employer to bring the worker from his/her country to the UAE, as well as the recruitment office’s fees.
Probation should not extend more than six months.