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In effectFederal Decree by Law

UAE Labour / Employment LawFederal Decree by Law No. (27) of 2018 Concerning Equality in Wages between Men and Women

UAE Federal Decree-Law·Federal Decree by Law No. (27) of 2018

مرسوم بقانون اتحادي بشأن المساواة في الرواتب بين الجنسين

Authoritative Arabic version per the official UAE Legislation portal

Issued Date
September 23, 2018
Effective from
October 14, 2018
Articles
5
Last synced
Jul 20, 2026
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Plain-language summary

  • Men and women must receive equal pay for the same or similar work.
  • Applies to all employers in the UAE public and private sectors.
  • Employers cannot reduce wages or benefits based on gender.
  • Law covers base salary, allowances, bonuses, and other compensation.
  • Employers must review pay practices to ensure compliance with equality rules.

Establishes principles and requirements for equal pay between men and women in employment, ensuring wage parity and non-discrimination in compensation across al…

Synced from the official UAE Legislation portal · Plain-language summary by the LEXAI editorial team

Article-level text

Key Articles

5 articles

  1. 1

    Article 1

    Article (1) Definitions In application of the provisions of this Decree-Law, the following words and expressions shall have the meanings ascribed thereto unless the context requires otherwise: State : United Arab Emirates. Governmental Bodies : Federal Governmental Ministries, Authorities, Institutions, Centres, Councils and Offices. Salaries : Basic salaries.

  2. 2

    Article 2

    Article (2) Provisions of this Decree-Law shall apply to Federal governmental bodies.

    -- 1 of 2 --

    Federal Decree-Law No. (27) of 2018 Concerning Equality in Wages between Men and Women 2

  3. 3

    Article 3

    Article (3) The Government may not discriminate or distinguish in its applicable regulations and systems between labourers on the basis of gender concerning the value of salaries paid for any labourer at the same job grade, unless there are other reasons that require otherwise, such as academic qualification, specialization, professional skills, expertise or competences.

  4. 4

    Article 4

    Article (4) Any provision contrary to or inconsistent with the provisions of this Decree-Law shall be repealed.

  5. 5

    Article 5

    Article (5) This decree-Law shall be published in the official Gazette and shall come into force 14 from its date of publication. Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan President of The United Arab Emirates Issued by Us at the Presidential Palace in Abu Dhabi: Dated: 13 Muharram, 1440 H Corresponding to: 23 September 2018 AD

    -- 2 of 2 --

Note: The Arabic text of this legislation is the authoritative version as per the official UAE Legislation portal.

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