Feel discriminated at work? How to overcome this?

Protection against Discrimination

There are no such anti-discrimination protections for employees under the UAE Labour LawOpens in a new tab. or in the free zones in UAEOpens in a new tab.. There are some provisions which are favorable to UAE nationals as per Labour Law and various ministerial decision and the provisions are as below:

UAE nationals have more priority than other nationals to work in the UAE. Foreign nationals can only be employed in the private sector if:

  • they have appropriate approval from the authorities – Labour Department.
  • they obtain a residence visa and labour or ID card.
  • they have professional competence or educational qualification required by the state.
  • there are no UAE nationals is available to take up a position, then the preference must be given to persons who are nationals of an Arab Country  and then the persons of other nationalities.

discrimination-harassement-uae-labor-law

There are also certain limitation on the ability of companies to dismiss UAE Nationals.

Discrimination includes failing to make reasonable adjustments to the workplace, or working practices, that would enable a disabled person to meet their occupational requirements., such as refusal to employ a person, refusal to continue to employ a person, discriminating against a person concerning their employment or any term or condition of their employment. There are many programme or activities that can be undertaken to benefit the disadvantaged individuals or groups, including those mental or physical disability.

There are certain anti-discrimination provisions as per the Employment and Sponsorship Regulations of the Abu Dhabi Media Free Zone Authority. These regulations are to be aimed to create an equal treatment to the employees irrespective of gender, marital status, religion or disability and also employer in the free zone to follow the principle of non discrimination at the time of employing employees

Protection against Harassment

Assaulting another employee in an organization leads to dismissal. However, there are no such specific rules under the Labour LawOpens in a new tab. against harassment.  There are some UAE ministerial resolutions imposing sanctions on certain behaviors, including harassment. In DIFC Employment Law employer must provide and maintain a workplace atmosphere which is free from harassment, safe and without risks to employees’ health. It also state that employer  must not threaten or force an employee because of a complaint or investigation.

Reference: Afridi-Angell

Deepak

Deepak is a passionate blogger with interests in bitcoin, online marketing, and writing.

30 thoughts on “Feel discriminated at work? How to overcome this?

  1. Dear Mr. Deepak,

    I hope you are well.

    Kindly unpublished all my messages to you on this site. Many thanks for your support

  2. My company terminated me with out my sign in he will not pay me 2 months salary they can duplicate sign same like my sign now I have pine for over stay what i do now they till me you sign the termination later i saying you pay me my salary then I will sign they not pay me in he can our self sign in cancelled my visa in emigration now i have some right to do some things please some one tell me

  3. Hi Deepak ,

    My manager trying to control and he mentally harasses me… its about year 2015 i requested him to change my department as i’m working for the same company for 7 years and also i wanted to learn new things and grow and he use to tell me there is only paper works it will be more hectic for you but i requested him , ….later he agreed if there is any opening he will help me it was only verbal , also i spoke to insurance department where i want to move if they have any opening so i will inform my manager and he can help to change my department and will help me to grow and after i spoke to him he didn’t said anything. after sometime i went for my vacation for 15 days .

    when i came back from my vacation i came to know my manager didn’t approved saying that i didn’t went through channel …and inter department changing is been stopped …and i came to know my manager is the one who did that ..later he started holding grudge against me and every time he collects tiny to tiny mistakes and sends me a warning mail and when he see me going to HR any ones office or talking to any higher management or passing through there he gets mad he collects my mistakes and sends mail this time he send my mistakes to higher management saying that next time disciplinary action will be taken and there will salary deduction too ..

    is there is any law? to deal with these kind of managers i started doing more mistakes because of stress i’m falling sick every now and then .it is not that no one does error at work but specifically he is behind me to remove me from job .please help .

  4. Hi Deepak,

    Please don’t publish my complete name on your Blog. I had message you on 11/01/2017 at 09:52. Thanks

  5. Hi ,
    I am training the employees of a hotel in UAE and I need to spread awareness about Harassment and discrimination at work place to my employees, what are the topics I should cover and to make it very simple and basic.
    If you could just give me some bullet points to work around, also are there any legal aspects as per Uae law that I should be talking about.

    Regards

  6. Good Morning,

    My colleague and I just had an verbal arguments, he is the sales manager of the company, he was very upset , went to my desk, turn off my computer, my mug falls to the ground because he forced to turn off my computer and forced me to leave the office. Of course, I was also upset and reason out because I believe that I need to raised my voice and my rights as an employee and as a human being. He lets everyone in the office to let me go out. And keep saying he is the owner of the company which is not true. He was shouting and said that I am distgusting and shit. Even tried to throw his bag on me, my colleague was keeping him cool. Every day, he let’s me open the door for him many times, we were issued an access card to utilized it for smooth operation. He never uses it, the real owners of the company never ask me to open the door for them. Imagine, in just 20 minutes, he lets me open the door seven times, that’s why I am not talking to him. I already raised this issue to my managers and even emailed them several times reagarding his behaviour. The reason why I am not complaining because the real owners is very good to me. And after he did that to me, everytime that he will pass to my area he will whisper “shit”. Pleasen advise me on this. Many thanks for your support.

    1. Hi Cecile,

      Really sad to hear about this situation of yours. I believe you should talk to your company senior management on this and solve the problem. That should be the best treatment.

      1. Thanks Sir,

        I had emailed them three times, and they had a meeting the other day, but I was not included. The director of the company talked to me that we need to wait until the situation is okay, I agreed on that. However, every time that he will pass in my area or I will pass his area, he always whispered shit, I have talked to the top management on this and told me to ignore him. What am worrying about if he will hurt me as he is capable of doing that. And, if ever it will happen again, I will complain to MOL and bring all the emails that I have sent to them. Please advise. Many thanks for your support

  7. Hi Mr.Deepak goodafternoon,yesterday our company send us to our office without knowing that we are terminated.we are more than 20 people with different nationalities.im working for more than 3 yrs and 8 months.indicating in the letter that my service dont require anymore.has been taken to make your position redundantand in no way reflects your performance in your hob which has been entirely satisfactory.my question they still want me to come for duty even it was termination.I have also 1 mo.notice till Oct.22,2016.I am demotivated and doesnt want to work.what will I do now? Please help me..

  8. good morning ..
    i am working in a hospital

    i would like to ask if the manager of my company can enforce me to do night shifts t more than others employee from my same class? please reply to me ..

  9. Hi deepak.

    There so much of discrimination in our work place.
    All the management and the employees are from the kerala. We can count the other state people on finger tips in the office.
    They always point me for the break hours when the same group of people come along with me for the break.
    They shout at me that i have worst working hours and they will deduct the salary.
    Even for my work they every time i reach the target provided they say that i do not perform well end of the day the result is zero.
    With many other situations they discriminate me. I really want to quit the job. With the feeling like this in heart i lost my peace and having mental stress.
    I am working here from 8months. I have 5 years on international experience.

    Suggest me what i should do inorder to get out this company. They hold my passport too.

  10. Dear Deepak,

    I would like to ask a question regarding Ramadan Timings, is there any violation committed by our Company?
    First of all, I am living in the city outside the site office around 1 hour travel time. Everyday they provided us a vehicle from and to the office.

    This Ramadan they issued a circular stating the Site Office timings will be from 8:00 AM to 15:00 PM only. The problem is they will only be providing the bus service at around 17:30 PM which was not mentioned in the circular. Those who are living inside the site camp can leave at 15:00 PM while those who are living outside needs to wait until 17:30 PM. we feel discriminated because somehow we cannot stay outside the office because of the heat, and inside we are forced to to our work with no overtime pay.

    thanks

  11. I’m working as sales associates UAE,..I commit small fight then I go to police station to report bcoz the girl slap my face it’s start in a small arguing that it’s comes in assault…then I file case for the police without any knowing of my company,,,bcoz they didn’t do anything wrong from us,,,,after 2 days I close the then the girl comes out in the jail but after this the company gave me a punishment bcoz I I file case without there knowing,,,,they transfer me in other branch that I feel decriminate of some other pipol…then me I only come foer work and depend my self ,,,now in that company I cannot work well bcoz all of them talking at my back bcoz of what I’ve did…that already finished…now I talk to my mnger that send me back to the place where I start to work,,,bcoz im not comfortable and I don’t have peace of mind in that shop,,,,I always ask them to send me back….but they don’t want…..then I did not come for work bcoz I really don’t want there bcoz of pipol who decriminated me….then my mnger I n new brand didn’t accep me when I report on duty he said go to my area manger to report ,,,,,I m look for my are manger in some of our branch but I didn’t find him I chat but he didn’t reply now I did not go to work for almost 4 days,,,,,my concern is to they have a right to terminate me????bcoz I f the case I file

  12. If a owner physical hit to a employ in work place what a employees can do for this safety and protection.

  13. Dear sir,
    I have a corcern regarding the task giving to me when i was hire my position is customer service cum admin but now im proted as admin coordinator and yet may manager still giving me task as customer service is this is rigth because im complaining on this atvyet still giving me task as customer service and the same time admin coordinator doing dual job? But my nee position is admin coordinator which means working as in the office.

  14. May I know what I can get? I will not renew my contract, i finish my 2 yrs contract this coming March 15

  15. I was verbally abused twice and I didn’t file a complain against my employer. Is there any specific rules in UAE for that kind of action? What I should do? Please advise accordingly.

    Thank you

  16. Dear Deepak,

    I been working for 7 month and 13 days in a company, suddenly I got a meeting that I am not longer anymore with the company and I need to stop working as it is my last day of work, as my position is not anymore exist.
    Before to start in this company I was very stable in my previous job having 5 years on my career and this new company let me to resign and now they don’t want me anymore. Is there any reasonable benefits for me as per law? Will be waiting for ur kind reply. Thank you

    1. Maria,
      If there is no proper reason, then it is arbitrary dismissal.
      You could file a complaint with MOL with regard to this.

  17. Dear Deepak,
    i am working in an organization for the last 4 years. All my team member realized about my hard work and expertise. Always i am taking responsibilities of my seniors when they are off, holidays or annual vocations and even sharing work and giving me leading for any new technology systems comes. now one of our senior left and he recommended me as his replacement. i replaced her and took her responsibilities but with out his title what he had. my manager promoted another arabic speaking guys how has worst command on our operations and i have been advised to report to that guy. now i noticed injustice and discrimination on the basis of arab and non arab. i am badly sad, angry and want to quite my job. please appreciate to advise

  18. Sir, I was brought in by an Ethiopian sponsor as an hairstylist 1month ago with employment visa but when I got here, my employer said she does not want me because I do not know hoe to make ethiopian styles which she knows because I came from Nigeria. She deceived me for 3weeks that she will train me until on 10th she was going to cancel my visa that I should go back to my country. I reported to labour and she was invited but I called labour again now they said the case is closed and has been settled. But I don’t know what they mean by that?

      1. Thank you for your swift response. labour invited myself and my sponsorer yesterday and asked to sign and cancel visa first which i did and asked her to give termination letter.

        my question is will employers in abu dhabi accept such letter and will my ban be lifted if i tender employment letter to labour?

  19. Dear sir
    I have been working in the restaurant since 9th June 2014 till now. Company brought to me for as a waiter. When I reached in here he said to me you should to do dishwasher honestly I did that work and now days my manager telling me you should do grilled and you should do cashier and dishwasher . Please sir give me some suggestions I’m not interested in this job. I wanna leave my job. What should I do ? I wanna go back in my country please! Sir help me. If I cancelled my contract how much should I pay in my company?

  20. For the past 6 months I have been very subtly pressurized by my immediate superior to hand in my resignation and when I refused, I was handed a letter of warning stating that there have been two people who have complained that I am being uncooperative.
    I have no idea what I did to cause this, but I refused to sign the letter on the grounds that I am unaware of this issue. .. For the past three years I have had excellent job reviews and have met all my targets. When my boss took his current position, he seemed happy to work with me but over time, it appears that this is no longer so and he has made it very clear that I have no prospects and I am no longer wanted in my current position.
    Please help me with advice..I am unsure of what to do next with regards to the letter of warning.
    thank you

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