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What rights do domestic workers like housemaids and nannies have in the UAE?

Asked by Anonymous·Jun 10, 2026·1 answers
I work as a live-in nanny and my employer holds my passport, gives me one day off a month, and hasn't paid me for two months. I don't know what rules protect domestic workers or where someone in my position is supposed to complain. What rights do housemaids and nannies actually have, and who can help me without making things worse?

This answer is AI-generated and editorially reviewed. It is general legal information, not legal advice — verify anything you act on with a licensed UAE lawyer. How LEXAI uses AI

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LEXAI

Editorially reviewed by LEXAI

Jun 11, 2026
Domestic workers in the UAE, including housemaids and nannies, are protected by a dedicated federal law, and several things you describe are violations of it. You are entitled to be paid your agreed wage promptly each month, to one paid weekly rest day rather than one day a month, to daily rest hours, to thirty days of paid annual leave per year, and to decent accommodation and medical care. Your employer is not allowed to keep your passport; identity documents belong to you. Two months of unpaid wages is a serious breach on its own. Complaints from domestic workers are handled by MOHRE, which runs a dispute process specifically for this sector; you can call its hotline or visit a service centre, and the standard contract signed when you were hired is the reference point for what you are owed. Your home country's embassy or consulate can also support you, particularly if you feel unsafe raising the issue while living in your employer's home. Keep whatever proof you have, such as messages about salary or a photo of your contract. A licensed lawyer or a legal aid service in the UAE can act for you discreetly if the employer retaliates.
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