As flexible work models gain a wider foothold in the labor market, the UAE is moving to establish a clearer framework for regulating remote work in the private sector, in a way that balances the flexibility of this model with the protection of the rights and professional obligations associated with it. In this context, the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation has issued a dedicated remote work guide setting out the rules governing the relationship between employer and employee. It also confirmed that Emiratis working in the private sector and benefiting from the “Nafis” program remain covered by the program’s benefits even when performing their jobs remotely, as long as the contractual relationship remains in force and professional obligations are fulfilled.
A Framework Regulating the Relationship Between Employer and Employee
The new guide sets out a practical framework for organizing remote work through modern communication tools and technologies, stressing that the success of this model depends not only on flexibility, but also on clear expectations, professional discipline, and compliance with applicable legislation. It therefore defines a clear framework of rights and obligations, stipulating eight main obligations for the employer, six key responsibilities for the employee, and five cases regarded as forms of non-compliance with the remote work system.
According to the guide, the employer must conclude a clear and approved employment contract specifying wages, the nature of the job, working hours, and contract duration, while also complying with legal working hours, rest periods, and overtime rules. The employer must provide the technical means and devices needed to perform tasks, grant the employee the leave entitlements prescribed by law, refrain from imposing any employment or recruitment fees, and comply with legal procedures when terminating the contract. For Emirati employees, the guide stresses the need to register them in the pensions and social insurance system within one month of issuing the work permit, while reporting any amendment to the contract that affects the conditions for benefiting from “Nafis”.
In return, the guide obliges the employee to carry out tasks personally in accordance with the employer’s instructions, not assign the work to another person without approval, comply with approved monitoring and electronic communication methods, remain available during the working days and hours specified in the contract, interact effectively to complete tasks, respond to official communication channels, and attend virtual meetings whenever work requirements demand. It also stresses, for Emirati employees, the need to notify the ministry of any change in employment status or data affecting eligibility for “Nafis” benefits.
“Nafis” and Remote Work: Eligibility Depends on Actual Work
The guide states explicitly that the work model, whether in person or remote, does not affect a citizen’s eligibility for “Nafis” benefits, as long as the employment relationship is genuine and the employee complies with agreed working hours, tasks, and the program’s conditions. In this sense, the decisive criterion is not where the work is performed, but its reality, effectiveness, and discipline.
The guide further stresses that benefiting from the program depends on the existence of real, productive work, not merely a formal contract or attendance registration unsupported by genuine professional performance. Accordingly, serious failure to meet job obligations, failure to carry out tasks, or failure to comply with working hours may lead to legal consequences affecting both employer and employee and may impact the continuation of “Nafis” benefits. Citizens were also urged to disclose any change in salary, employment status, or the nature of the contractual relationship if it affects eligibility conditions.
In answering questions related to remote work, the guide made clear that compliance in this model is not measured simply by logging into systems or formal attendance, but by the level of achievement and the quality of outputs. It also stated that an employee may not engage in personal tasks or other work during designated working hours except in accordance with legal controls and after the employer’s approval. The guide allows employers to apply monitoring mechanisms suited to the nature of the job, provided they are clear and do not infringe on the employee’s dignity or privacy.
Working Hours, Leave, Insurance, and Accountability
The guide explains that working hours under remote work must be explicitly specified in the employment contract, as with other work models adopted by the establishment. It confirms that the basic rule is eight hours per day and a maximum of 48 hours per week, unless otherwise stipulated under approved controls. The employee is also entitled to daily rest periods not counted as actual working hours, and any work exceeding the specified hours is considered overtime requiring financial compensation in accordance with legal rates, in addition to a paid weekly rest day of no less than one day.
Remote work does not deprive the employee of legally prescribed entitlements. The guide confirms the worker’s right to annual and sick leave under applicable rules, including cash compensation for unused leave balances at the end of the contractual relationship. It also refers to a female employee’s right to 60 days of maternity leave after six months of pregnancy, consisting of 45 days at full pay and 15 days at half pay, with a ban on terminating her service or warning her because of pregnancy or taking this leave.
On social protection, the guide obliges the employer to provide health insurance to remote employees on the same basis as other staff. It also requires the employee to subscribe to the unemployment insurance scheme and pay the prescribed contributions, enabling the employee to receive 60% of the subscription salary for up to three months after termination of service while seeking a new job.
To prevent remote work from becoming a merely formal arrangement lacking seriousness, the guide lists five forms of non-compliance: failure to interact or respond during official working hours without justification, repeated delays in delivering tasks, engaging in personal activity or other work during working hours, assigning tasks to another person without approval, and recording attendance without actually performing duties. In such cases, the employer may take disciplinary measures under the approved regulations, including termination of service in cases of repeated serious breach.
