What are the notice and termination rules for domestic workers in the UAE?

Domestic workers in the UAE — such as housemaids, nannies, drivers and similar roles in private homes — are covered by a separate framework, the UAE's dedicated domestic workers law, rather than the main private-sector Labour Law (Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021). The domestic workers law, administered with MOHRE oversight, sets its own rules on contracts, notice, ending the relationship, repatriation and end-of-service entitlements, which differ in detail from the standard 30–90 day notice regime. Either party generally must follow the notice and termination procedure set out in the domestic-worker contract and that specific law, and the worker is entitled to the end-of-service and other benefits it provides. Because the two regimes are distinct, do not assume the standard private-sector figures apply to domestic work — check the domestic-worker contract and the relevant law for the exact notice and settlement terms. For disputes, MOHRE provides channels for domestic workers. You can also compare verified UAE legal professionals on LEXAI to clarify the notice or end-of-service terms that apply to a specific domestic-work arrangement.