The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has recently implemented significant amendments to its employment law, which will come into effect in 2024. These changes aim to enhance transparency, fairness, and flexibility in the workplace, aligning with the dynamic needs of the modern labor market, protecting labor rights, preventing discrimination or harassment, guaranteeing equality, and supporting conflict resolution.

The changes in the law for 2024 have reduced the workweek in the UAE labor market, reducing typical working hours for private organizations from 48 hours a week to 40 hours. This adjustment, allowing for a 4-day workweek with 10 hours per day, reflects a commitment to improved work-life balance.

The changes in the law for 2024 have reduced the workweek in the UAE labor market, reducing typical working hours for private organizations from 48 hours a week to 40 hours. This adjustment, allowing for a 4-day workweek with 10 hours per day, reflects a commitment to improved work-life balance.

One of the most significant changes in the new labour law in the UAE in 2024 is the one related to the duration of contracts. Previously, in the UAE, employers were able to issue two types of contracts: limited and unlimited-term contracts.

As its name implies, an unlimited-term contract is an indefinite contract, which means it doesn’t have an established end date. Similarly, a limited contract is a fixed-term contract that has a specific duration.

But, according to the new law, employers cannot issue unlimited contracts anymore. Therefore, the concept of unlimited contracts is no longer valid.

So every employee should know that after January 1, 2024, according to the new amendments, all employment contracts must be fixed-term contracts and include clear start and end dates with a validity of up to 3 years, job position, location, and compensation.