In some circumstances, UAE residents who have employed a domestic helper through an agency are entitled to a refund of their recruitment expenses.
On Tuesday, October 18, a post on the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratization’s (MOHRE) official social media channels stated that MOHRE-approved recruitment agencies offer a two-year (24 months) warranty for the employer in the event that their domestic helper refuses to work or is unable to meet the requirements of their position.
The article emphasized an employer’s rights if a worker is found to be unfit or refuses to work:
- If the domestic help worked fewer than 30 days, request a replacement or a refund from the recruitment agency.
- The employer has the authority to request a replacement employee or a refund if they worked more than 30 days.
How is the refund calculated?
You have the right to request a refund for the number of months the domestic worker has not been employed by you because the contract for domestic employees is for 12 months and employers are required to pay recruitment expenses for the entire term.
According to MOHRE, if you paid a Dh15,000 recruitment fee (for a two-year or 24-month period) but the employee was only employed by you for four months, the following is how your refund will be determined:
Total recruitment cost – [Total recruitment cost ÷ 24 x Months of service]
So, in the example above, here is how the refund will be calculated:
Dh15,000 – [Dh15,000 ÷ 24 x 4]
= Dh15,000 – Dh2,500
= Dh12,500
So, you are entitled to a refund of Dh12,500, in the example above.
Read Here: UAE law on domestic workers: Fines of up to Dh200,000 for recruiting domestic workers illegally