New DIFC Employment Law – The Changes – Part 2

10 Sep 2019

1. Discrimination - anti-discrimination provisions have been expanded to include:

• additional protected characteristics – such as age, pregnancy and maternity;
• victimisation - that is, safeguard against a protected act.

      For example, where an employee makes an allegation of, or brings a claim for, discrimination;DIFC Court can now, in the event of a finding of discrimination and/or victimisation,          award the following remedies:

• compensation of up to one year's wage (salary and allowances);
• a recommendation for the employer to take certain steps to reduce the adverse effect on the successful employee.

• male employees who will have been continuously employed for at least twelve months immediately preceding the expected or actual week of his wife giving birth will be entitled to five working days of paid paternity leave. The right to take paid time off to attend appointments for antenatal care is extended to expectant fathers.

• female employees returning to work from maternity leave will be entitled to specific nursing breaks.
• female employees who are adopting a child will be entitled to statutory maternity leave if the child is less than five years old at the time of adoption.