UAE labour violations: 11 issues residents can report to MOHRE

The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation provides several channels for reporting suspected violations and helps strengthen compliance across the UAE labour market.

UAE labour violations residents can report

UAE labour violations can cover a wide range of unlawful or non-compliant practices in workplaces. The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE) allows community members to report 11 specific categories of violations through its Community Reporting Service.

The service is designed to enable members of the public to flag practices that may breach UAE labour regulations or employment requirements.

MOHRE currently identifies the following 11 types of reports:

1. Fake Emiratisation
2. Forced labour and human trafficking
3. Non-compliance with Emiratisation requirements
4. Sexual harassment
5. Failure to pay end-of-service benefits
6. Requiring employees to work more than two hours of overtime
7. Violations of the Occupational Heat Stress Prevention Policy
8. Non-compliance with labour accommodation standards
9. Presence of an illegal worker
10. Violations of occupational health and safety requirements
11. Failure to grant annual leave, provide leave encashment or carry forward leave balances

These categories cover issues ranging from employee welfare and workplace safety to employment documentation, Emiratisation requirements and payment-related obligations.

Sexual harassment among reportable UAE labour violations

Sexual harassment is specifically included among the UAE labour violations that can be reported through MOHRE’s Community Reporting Service.

The inclusion of sexual harassment reflects the ministry’s wider role in supporting compliance with employment regulations and maintaining appropriate workplace standards.

Workers and community members who become aware of suspected violations can use MOHRE’s reporting channels to raise concerns with the authorities.

Overtime rules and employee working hours

Excessive overtime is another issue specifically covered by the reporting service.

MOHRE lists requiring employees to work more than two hours of overtime as a reportable violation. Employees who believe they are being required to work beyond the applicable limits can therefore raise the issue through the ministry’s reporting channels.

The measure is particularly relevant to workers who may face pressure to work extended hours without appropriate compliance with UAE labour requirements.

Unpaid end-of-service benefits

Failure to pay end-of-service benefits is also included in the list of UAE labour violations that can be reported.

End-of-service benefits can become particularly important when an employment relationship comes to an end. Workers who believe their contractual or legal entitlements have not been paid can seek assistance from MOHRE.

Where the matter involves a specific dispute between an employer and employee, workers may also use the ministry’s separate labour complaint process.

Annual leave and leave-related violations

MOHRE’s reporting service also covers failures relating to annual leave.

The reportable category includes failure to grant annual leave, provide leave encashment or carry forward leave balances.

This gives workers a channel to flag situations where employers may not be complying with applicable leave requirements.

Employees who have concerns about their contractual or legal leave entitlements can contact MOHRE for assistance and clarification.

Workplace health and safety

Occupational health and safety breaches are another category covered by the Community Reporting Service.

MOHRE allows reports involving violations of occupational health and safety requirements, helping authorities identify workplaces where employees may be exposed to unsafe conditions.

The list also specifically includes violations of the Occupational Heat Stress Prevention Policy.

Heat-related workplace protections are particularly important during periods of high temperatures, when outdoor workers and employees performing physically demanding duties can face increased risks.

Labour accommodation standards

Non-compliance with labour accommodation standards can also be reported to MOHRE.

The category allows community members to flag establishments where accommodation provided to workers may not comply with applicable requirements.

Adequate labour accommodation forms part of the wider framework governing employee welfare and workplace standards in the UAE.

Forced labour and illegal workers

MOHRE’s list also includes forced labour and human trafficking, which are among the most serious violations covered by the reporting system.

The presence of an illegal worker is another reportable category.

These provisions give the public a way to alert the authorities when they become aware of potentially unlawful employment arrangements or serious labour-related concerns.

Emiratisation violations

Two categories on the list relate specifically to Emiratisation.

They are:

• Fake Emiratisation
• Non-compliance with Emiratisation requirements

The UAE has introduced measures to increase the participation of Emirati citizens in the private-sector workforce. MOHRE therefore provides channels for reporting establishments suspected of failing to meet applicable Emiratisation requirements or engaging in practices designed to falsely satisfy those requirements.

How to report UAE labour violations to MOHRE

MOHRE provides three main channels through which members of the community can use its Community Reporting Service.

These are:

• MOHRE call centre: 600590000
• MOHRE UAE mobile app
• MOHRE website

The ministry’s online public complaints service also provides a channel for members of the public to report violations relating to MOHRE’s areas of responsibility.

The ministry lists 600590000 for assistance, with the service available 24 hours a day.

Labour complaints are different from community reports

It is important to distinguish between reporting a suspected labour violation and filing a formal labour complaint.

The Community Reporting Service allows community members to flag violations and non-compliant practices within establishments.

A separate complaint process is available when there is an actual dispute between an employer and a worker.

MOHRE states that when legal or contractual obligations are breached, either party in a labour relationship may register a complaint with the ministry. This applies to employers and workers in the private sector as well as the domestic worker sector.

Workers with an individual employment dispute may therefore need to use the labour complaint process rather than relying solely on the community reporting service.

Domestic worker complaints

MOHRE has also reiterated that a separate process is available for disputes involving domestic workers.

If a dispute develops between an employer and a domestic worker and an amicable settlement cannot be reached, a labour complaint can be registered through the ministry’s available channels.

Domestic worker complaints can be submitted through:

• The MOHRE UAE mobile app
• The MOHRE website
• The Labour Claims and Advisory Centre on 80084

The Labour Claims and Advisory Centre provides support and advice for employment-related matters.

MOHRE Labour Claims and Advisory Centre

MOHRE’s Labour Market Observatory currently lists 80084 as the toll-free Labour Claims and Advisory Centre and legal consultation hotline.

The service is available in 22 languages, making it accessible to workers from a wide range of backgrounds.

Languages include Arabic, English and Urdu as the main languages, as well as Hindi, Persian, Malayalam, Nepali, Tamil, Punjabi, Somali, Bengali, Turkish, Chinese, Russian, French and Swahili, among others.

MOHRE reviewed this information on July 22, 2026.

The ministry also lists 600590000 as its general telephone and WhatsApp contact number.

Thousands of labour complaints reported in 2025

MOHRE data shows that the UAE’s labour reporting and complaint channels are widely used.

More than 17,000 complaints were registered anonymously during 2025, according to data reviewed by the ministry on January 22, 2026.

The ministry also recorded more than 4,000 complaints from citizens reporting unlawful practices in the labour market during 2025.

More than half of registered worker complaints were received through the call centre, according to MOHRE’s Labour Market Observatory.

The figures underline the role of the ministry’s reporting and complaint channels in identifying potential problems across the UAE labour market.

What workers should know

Employees who believe their workplace is not complying with UAE labour rules have several options for seeking assistance.

For suspected violations involving issues such as sexual harassment, excessive overtime, workplace safety, heat-stress requirements, illegal workers or fake Emiratisation, the Community Reporting Service provides a channel for raising the matter with MOHRE.

For an individual employment dispute involving issues such as unpaid contractual or legal entitlements, workers can use MOHRE’s labour complaint process.

Workers should provide accurate information when submitting a report or complaint and use the appropriate channel based on the nature of the issue.

With multiple reporting options available through the phone, website and mobile application, MOHRE aims to make it easier for workers and community members to raise concerns about potential labour violations.

For UAE residents, understanding the available reporting channels can be particularly important when dealing with workplace concerns involving pay, overtime, leave, safety, accommodation or employee rights.