UAE to bring in midday break rules on June 15

The UAE's Ministry of Labour issued on Tuesday an order imposing a countrywide ban on outdoor work between 12.30pm and 3.00pm from June 15. The annual ban, which aims to protect the thousands of outdoor workers against the harsh summer heat, will run until September 15. The order was signed by Labour Minister Saqr Ghobash to renew the midday break rules for the eighth consecutive year, official news agency WAM reported. Officials have decided to maintain the three-month midday break this year, a month longer than when the rules were first introduced. The order stipulates that employers must provide their workers with shaded places of rest during the recess period. It also says that if a worker is working more than eight hours a day, he will be entitled to over-time wages, WAM said. Employers must also publish daily schedules of working hours in Arabic and in languages understood by the workers, most of which are from south Asia. The rule gives exemptions to works which requires uninterrupted work for technical reasons, provided that the employer provides cold drinking water, WAM added. Any employer found in violation of the rules will be penalised AED15,000 for each breach. In the event of recurring violation, the inspectors will consider re-classifying the company which could make it more difficult to employ labourers.