The United Arab Emirates (UAE) recently announced plans to transfer oversight of domestic workers to the Labor Ministry, which oversees all of the UAE's other workers. The switch will begin in the new year.
Now, the UAE needs to ensure that these workers will receive the same rights as other employees. Currently, domestic workers are vulnerable to abuse and exploitation, such as being overworked and receiving low pay. Many of these workers are immigrants, and the overwhelming majority are women.
Labor laws would ensure that domestic workers would work no more than eight hours a day and 40 hours a week, and would be entitled to overtime pay and sick leave. It would also protect the workers from exploitation. In the current system, domestic workers' visas are tied to their employers, and they cannot break their contract and work for another employer without their current employer's permission, even if that employer abuses them.
A 2014 report shows that most employers interviewed suffered some form of abuse or coercion. Most had their passports seized by employers so they would be unable to escape, and many were forced to work up to 21 hours a day with no rest breaks, were underpaid or not paid, and suffered emotional and physical abuse.
Domestic workers need protection from unfair and abusive employers. Please sign the petition to urge the UAE to extend labor laws to domestic workers!
I am writing to urge you to include domestic workers under your labor laws.
I understand that you plan to transfer oversight of domestic workers to the Labor Ministry in the new year. This is a great first step.
Now, the UAE needs to ensure that these workers will receive the same rights as other employees. Currently, domestic workers are vulnerable to abuse and exploitation, such as being overworked and receiving low pay. Many of these workers are immigrants, and the overwhelming majority are women.
Labor laws would ensure that domestic workers would work no more than eight hours a day and 40 hours a week, and would be entitled to overtime pay and sick leave. It would also protect the workers from exploitation. In the current system, domestic workers' visas are tied to their employers, and they cannot break their contract and work for another employer without their current employer's permission, even if that employer abuses them.
A 2014 report shows that most employers interviewed suffered some form of abuse or coercion. Most had their passports seized by employers so they would be unable to escape, and many were forced to work up to 21 hours a day with no rest breaks, were underpaid or not paid, and suffered emotional and physical abuse.
Domestic workers need protection from unfair and abusive employers. I respectfully urge you to extend labor laws to domestic workers. Thank you for taking the time to read and consider this petition.
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