Employing the youth in the UAE

We get why employing people who are younger is a benefit. They are excited, energetic and happy

to be working. But it is also important to know what you can and cannot do when it comes to

employing a young person in the UAE.

Legal Age

The legal age to work at any organization for both male and female is 15. It is not permitted to

employ a young person before he or she reaches fifteen years of age.

Documents Required

According to ‘Article 21’, before employing any young person, the employer must obtain the

following documents from him or her:

1. NOC from the guardian or trustee.

2. A certificate of medical fitness that is authorized and issued by a competent medical officer.

3. A birth certificate or a document stating the young person’s age.

Working hours for a young person

The maximum working hours for a young person should be six a day which will include a break for

not less than an hour. The breaks should be assigned in such a way that a young person does not work for more than four consecutive hours. It is illegal for a young person to work for more than seven consecutive hours.

Overtime rules for the youth

An employer is not permitted to keep a young person at work for more than the time prescribed for

him or her according to law. A young person is not required to work on rest days as well.

Can the youth work at night in the UAE?

A young person is not allowed to work at night in an industrial undertaking. This indicates a period of

not less than 12 consecutive hours, including the period from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m.

Who takes responsibility for a young person?

The following people are responsible in the case of employing a young person:

1. Employers or their representative.

2. The guardians and trustees of a young person.