UAE Employment Law: Is It Legal to Assign Tasks Outside an Employee's Contract?
Question: I was hired as an accountant in Dubai and granted a visa for that position, but later, the company assigned me to a different role, such as HR or administrative work. Is this legal in the UAE and how can I convince my employer that it is illegal?
Answer: Under UAE labour law, employers are not permitted to assign an employee to work that is substantially different from what was agreed upon in the employment contract—unless there is an emergency or a need to prevent or fix a workplace issue, and even then, only temporarily. This is outlined in Article 12 of Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021.
The law specifically states that any such temporary reassignment must fall under exceptional circumstances and cannot exceed 90 days in a calendar year. Moreover, Article 13 of Cabinet Resolution No. 1 of 2022 clarifies that a 'fundamental difference' in work refers to tasks completely unrelated to the employee's profession or academic qualifications.
If your employer asks you to take on a role that is fundamentally different—like switching from accounting to HR or admin—without your written consent, it is a legal violation. In such cases, Article 45(4) of the Employment Law grants employees the right to resign immediately without serving notice, while still retaining all end-of-service entitlements.
In addition, Article 14 of the same law protects employees from being forced to work against their will.
To address this, you should first review your employment contract and visa to confirm your designated role. If there's a clear mismatch between your official designation and the tasks assigned, you may present these details to your employer. If the issue persists, you have the right to file a formal complaint with the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE).
Unless you have agreed in writing, your employer cannot legally change your role to something substantially different. You are within your rights to refuse the new tasks and seek support from MoHRE if needed.
News Source: Khaleej Times
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