ABU DHABI – An improved awareness of laws among companies and individuals, as well as successful awareness campaigns conducted by the Abu Dhabi Judicial Department (ADJD) in collaboration with strategic partners, led to 40 percent drop in labor disputes compared to the same period in 2021, a key official said.
The increased awareness efforts have strengthened the legal culture among workers and companies and familiarized them with their rights under UAE Labor Laws, added ADJD Under-Secretary Counsellor Youssef Saeed Al Abri.
These initiatives, aimed at promoting legal culture, align with the directives of Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of the Presidential Court, and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Judicial Department.
Al Abri highlighted that the efficient handling of labor disputes in the labor court and the advancement of legal procedures in labor cases have contributed to enhancing economic stability for institutions and individuals, in line with the ADJD’s strategic plan and the emirate’s vision. This support bolsters the emirate’s status as an attractive destination for foreign investment and business.
To ensure the accessibility of these awareness campaigns, the Department visits clients at their locations, providing translations in up to five languages, including Arabic, English, Urdu, Pashto, and Bengali. This approach enables them to communicate with target groups in their native languages, making them aware of important laws that guarantee their rights in the UAE while addressing their questions and providing legal advice.
The decline in labor cases reflects the Department’s efforts to promote legal culture among employees through awareness campaigns. Over the past year, several campaigns have been conducted at labor camps to familiarize workers with their obligations under the new labor law.
These campaigns emphasize compliance with occupational safety and health instructions, proper conduct, maintaining confidentiality, and developing professional skills. They also inform employees about contracting procedures with employers, complaint filing methods, and how to obtain rights under employment contracts in case of termination or the employer’s failure to fulfill obligations.
The campaigns also highlight the mechanisms for obtaining unemployment insurance, regulations for transferring to another facility for work, and obtaining new work permits according to specified rules. They stress the importance of referring to the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation if the agreed job opportunity is not provided by the employer or if the worker does not receive their salary on time.
Moreover, the awareness drives emphasize employees’ right to leave the company upon fulfilling their obligations and the importance of adhering to laws when expressing dissatisfaction or filing complaints through legal means without causing chaos or organizing gatherings.