UAE: Employer to Pay Over $40,000 If Denied Employee’s Health Insurance

UAE: Employer to Pay Over $40,000 If Denied Employee’s Health Insurance

Question: I have been on unpaid leave since May 2020 and my employer wants to extend it until the end of December 2020. He has also mentioned that it might be extended until the end of quarter 1 of 2021. Besides, he did not renew my health insurance since May 2020 even though I am still employed by the company. How long can an employer extend an unpaid leave? What should I do get my health insurance?

Answer:

We assume that you are employed by a mainland company based in the emirate of Dubai and further assume that you have been put on unpaid leave due to Covid-19. Therefore the provisions of Ministerial Resolution No. (279) of 2020 concerning the employment stability in establishments of the private sector during the application of precautionary measures to control novel coronavirus outbreak (the 'Ministerial Resolution No. 279 of 2020') and the provisions of Dubai Law No. (11) of 2013 concerning health insurance in Dubai (the 'Dubai Health Insurance Law') are applicable.

It should be noted that an employer in the UAE may call upon an employee to avail of unpaid leave if the employer is affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. This is in accordance with Article