Question: I run a company with 30 staff. I know there is now an unemployment scheme that all staff have to subscribe to but some still haven’t done this, even though I have given them details.
As the deadline has passed, will I, as their employer, be fined for their non-compliance? JT, Abu Dhabi
Answer: The Involuntary Loss of Employment scheme, known as ILOE, was first announced as long ago as 2018, but came into effect at the start of this year.
The deadline to register has been moved a few times and the latest update is that all employees must be registered by October 1. This was confirmed by the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation on June 15.
At the same time, the ministry announced that more than 4.6 million people had already subscribed to the scheme.
The responsibility for joining the scheme lies with employees and it is mandatory to subscribe.
The ministry’s press release on June 15 said: “The scheme covers workers in the federal government and the private sector – citizens and residents – with the exception of investors [owners of the establishments where they work], domestic workers, temporary contract workers, juveniles under 18 years of age, and retirees who are earning a retirement pension and have started a new job.”
If an eligible individual fails to subscribe – bearing in mind there has been a lot of leeway with the deadlines – they can be personally fined. The fine is set at Dh400 ($108).
This is significantly more than is payable in premiums, so it seems pointless to defer an application.
Premiums are Dh5 per month for employees with a basic salary of up to Dh16,000 and Dh10 per month for those earning more than Dh16,000.
An individual has to be in the scheme for 12 months before a claim for payment can be made following termination of employment.
Benefits can be paid for up to three months, subject to policy terms and conditions.
For anyone who has not yet applied, you can do so via this link.
Q: My husband sponsors me, but a company has offered me a role for two months. It is for a specific event as I have some knowledge in this area, but I don’t want to be a permanent employee.
The company isn’t large and does not have an HR person, but they are considered semi-government. They don’t know how to employ me to make this role legal.
Is there a way that I can work for them for this short period? GF, Dubai
A: As you already have a UAE residency visa and Emirates ID, you only require a work permit to be legally employed.
Most are issued for a period of two or three years, but there is an option to obtain a permit for much shorter periods of time.
Temporary work permits can be valid for 21 days, 30 days, 90 days, 180 days or one year, and are relevant for people who work in the government and semi-government sectors.
The employer will need to issue an employment contract and obtain a letter of no objection from your sponsor. They can apply via UAE Pass or a Happiness Centre for a fee of Dh300 plus value-added tax and knowledge and innovation fees of Dh10 each.
Q: My employer is refusing to pay me for some days I took off as I was too sick to go to the office.
This was one day in May and three days in June. I called to let them know that I was not well and I worked harder when I went back so all my work was done.
I have been with the company for nearly two years and have not been ill at any other time. What does the law say about taking time off work if sick? SP, Dubai
A: It is normal to be unwell occasionally and for short periods like this, your salary should be paid in full.
Salaries are payable in accordance with Article 31 of the labour law, which says: “The worker may be entitled to a sick leave of not more than 90 continuous or intermittent days per year, provided that it is calculated as follows: a. The first 15 days with full pay; b. the following 30 days with half pay; c. the following period unpaid.”
The UAE government website advises: “The employee must inform his employer about his sickness within a maximum of three days and submit a medical report on his condition, issued by the medical entity.”
Should the employer make unlawful deductions for these days of illness, the employee can register a case against them with the MOHRE.
Keren Bobker is an independent financial adviser and senior partner with Holborn Assets in Dubai, with more than 30 years’ experience. Contact her at keren@holbornassets.com. Follow her on Twitter at @FinancialUAE
The advice provided in our columns does not constitute legal advice and is provided for information only
Ultra processed foods
- Carbonated drinks, sweet or savoury packaged snacks, confectionery, mass-produced packaged breads and buns
- margarines and spreads; cookies, biscuits, pastries, cakes, and cake mixes, breakfast cereals, cereal and energy bars;
- energy drinks, milk drinks, fruit yoghurts and fruit drinks, cocoa drinks, meat and chicken extracts and instant sauces
- infant formulas and follow-on milks, health and slimming products such as powdered or fortified meal and dish substitutes,
- many ready-to-heat products including pre-prepared pies and pasta and pizza dishes, poultry and fish nuggets and sticks, sausages, burgers, hot dogs, and other reconstituted meat products, powdered and packaged instant soups, noodles and desserts.
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Financial considerations before buying a property
Buyers should try to pay as much in cash as possible for a property, limiting the mortgage value to as little as they can afford. This means they not only pay less in interest but their monthly costs are also reduced. Ideally, the monthly mortgage payment should not exceed 20 per cent of the purchaser’s total household income, says Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching.
“If it’s a rental property, plan for the property to have periods when it does not have a tenant. Ensure you have enough cash set aside to pay the mortgage and other costs during these periods, ideally at least six months,” she says.
Also, shop around for the best mortgage interest rate. Understand the terms and conditions, especially what happens after any introductory periods, Ms Glynn adds.
Using a good mortgage broker is worth the investment to obtain the best rate available for a buyer’s needs and circumstances. A good mortgage broker will help the buyer understand the terms and conditions of the mortgage and make the purchasing process efficient and easier.
Squad
Ali Kasheif, Salim Rashid, Khalifa Al Hammadi, Khalfan Mubarak, Ali Mabkhout, Omar Abdulrahman, Mohammed Al Attas, Abdullah Ramadan, Zayed Al Ameri (Al Jazira), Mohammed Al Shamsi, Hamdan Al Kamali, Mohammed Barghash, Khalil Al Hammadi (Al Wahda), Khalid Essa, Mohammed Shaker, Ahmed Barman, Bandar Al Ahbabi (Al Ain), Al Hassan Saleh, Majid Suroor (Sharjah) Walid Abbas, Ahmed Khalil (Shabab Al Ahli), Tariq Ahmed, Jasim Yaqoub (Al Nasr), Ali Saleh, Ali Salmeen (Al Wasl), Hassan Al Muharami (Baniyas)
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Karwaan
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
Our legal columnist
Name: Yousef Al Bahar
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers
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Date started: Founded in May 2017 and operational since April 2018
Founders: co-founder and chief executive, Doaa Aref; Dr Rasha Rady, co-founder and chief operating officer.
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Sector: Health-tech
Size: 22 employees
Funding: Seed funding
Investors: Flat6labs, 500 Falcons, three angel investors
Napoleon
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TRAP
Starring: Josh Hartnett, Saleka Shyamalan, Ariel Donaghue
Director: M Night Shyamalan
Rating: 3/5
Cricket World Cup League Two
Oman, UAE, Namibia
Al Amerat, Muscat
Results
Oman beat UAE by five wickets
UAE beat Namibia by eight runs
Fixtures
Wednesday January 8 –Oman v Namibia
Thursday January 9 – Oman v UAE
Saturday January 11 – UAE v Namibia
Sunday January 12 – Oman v Namibia
Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
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MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
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ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
COMPANY PROFILE
Company name: SimpliFi
Started: August 2021
Founder: Ali Sattar
Based: UAE
Industry: Finance, technology
Investors: 4DX, Rally Cap, Raed, Global Founders, Sukna and individuals
Checks continue
A High Court judge issued an interim order on Friday suspending a decision by Agriculture Minister Edwin Poots to direct a stop to Brexit agri-food checks at Northern Ireland ports.
Mr Justice Colton said he was making the temporary direction until a judicial review of the minister's unilateral action this week to order a halt to port checks that are required under the Northern Ireland Protocol.
Civil servants have yet to implement the instruction, pending legal clarity on their obligations, and checks are continuing.
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