What is Gratuity for Housemaids and Domestic Workers UAE
Gratuity (End of Service Benefit) is the amount payable to an employee at the end of his service. While the concept is well-known in the UAE for private-sector and public-sector employees under the UAE Labour Law, the legal environment for domestic staff has also changed in recent times.
As per the 2017 law (Federal Law No. 10 of 2017), domestic workers including housemaids, nannies, gardeners, cooks, and drivers were also eligible for gratuity, at the rate of 14 days of basic salary per year of service, provided the service is one year or more.
With the promulgation of the 2022 Domestic Workers Law (Federal Decree-Law No. 19 of 2022) (and its 2023 amendment, Decree-Law No. 21 of 2023), however, the specific gratuity calculation has been deleted. The law provides the UAE Cabinet with authority to, through regulations, define gratuity entitlements in the future – however as of today (2025) no such framework has been implemented.
So, what does that mean?
- Formally, there is no legal right to a mandatory gratuity for domestic workers in UAE.
- In practice many families continue to voluntarily adopt the former formula of 14 days per year, in the interest of fairness and tradition.
- From an ethical standpoint, these payments are seen as goodwill and are widely approved among the expat workforce and among employers.
Check out the Gratuity Calculator for UAE Employees.
Who is a Domestic Worker? A Comprehensive List of Professions
The UAE Domestic Workers Law covers categories of servile vocations employed in private homes. It is important to know who is considered a domestic worker in order to establish who is entitled to receive tips and to measure them accordingly.
According to UAE Federal Decree-Law No. 9 of 2022 on domestic workers, the following are considered to be jobs for domestic workers:
Primary Domestic Worker Categories:
- Housemaids and house cleaners
- Nannies and childcare providers
- Personal care attendants for elderly or disabled family members
- Private drivers for families
- Gardeners and groundskeepers
- Private chefs and cooks
- Security guards for private residences
Specialized Domestic Worker Roles:
- Private tutors working exclusively for one family
- Personal assistants for household management
- Maintenance workers for private properties
- Laundry specialists
- Pet care providers
- Companions for elderly family members
Extended Domestic Service Positions:
- Farm workers on private estates
- Caretakers for vacation homes
- Pool maintenance specialists
- Private nurses for family care
- Housekeeping supervisors
There are more than a dozen categories (19 to be specific) of service works that fall under the law, so there is great protection for the diverse domestic employment. SOME ADDITIONAL ELIGIBLE POSITIONS ALL these positions are to receive same gratuity benefits regardless what they do, as long as they meet the minimum requirements.
Bear in mind, domestic workers must work directly for families or individuals in private homes. Workers who work for a cleaning company, staffing agency, or some other commercial entity might be categorized differently under labor law and gratuity calculation.
Gratuity Entitlement as per UAE Domestic Worker Law: Complete Guide
The Domestic Workers Law of UAE, issued by Federal Decree-Law No. 9 of 2020, sets out the specifics on gratuity. The law supersedes old laws, bolsters safeguards for domestic workers and clarifies employer responsibilities.
Basic Eligibility Requirements:
- In order to be eligible for gratuity as a domestic worker in the UAE, the criteria is as below:
- Minimum 1 year of service period.
- Legitimate job contract with the employer family
Residency status in the UAE
Termination of employment (for whatever cause including, without limitation, expiration of contract or resignation or discharge)
Gratuity Calculation Foundation:
UAE Labour Law Domestics The gratuity provisions applicable to domestic workers are different to that under the normal UAE Labour Law governing other industries. Household employees work on the 21-days-of-pay-per-annum system that covers the permanent employees, but the formula is applied in a specific way for them because of the household nature of the employment.
Payment Timeline and Obligations:
Gratuity Amount should be settled by the employer within certain deadlines to prevent legal issues. The payment is due upon the cessation of employment, for whatever reason. Gratuity default can lead to legal implications and further compensation.
Special Circumstances:
There are a number of specific circumstances in which gratuity is affected such as if the employee is taking part in illegal activities, violates any terms of agreement or any other situation stipulated in the domestic worker law. These exceptions are rare, and need to be supported with legal basis.
Article 26
Article 26 of UAE Fed 2017 stipulates that the employee is entitled to receive, on the expiration of his/her service, whatever the cause of termination, a gratuity which is calculated as per slab rate for period of service not less than one year. The gratuity shall be computed on the basis of 14 days salary for each year not completed provided that the period of absence without pay shall not be included in the calculation thereof. Nothing in the payments will be paid as a lump sum at the time the employee leaves office, but such amount will be recalculated at the time the contract is renewed.
Article 27
If the employee leaves the work before the completion of the contract or retires from the job, he is not entitled to end of service gratuity; and If the employer dismisses the worker for the reason that the employee is caught engaging in any prohibited practice.
According to MoHRE, if an employee leaves a job, the employee will need to indemnify the employer by paying them a one-month salary. If on the other hand, the employer dismiss his worker, he needs to compensate the worker with an additional one month salary and a gratuity.
And, the employer would even give the worker return fair to his home country.
Read: What is Gratuity Vs Tip – Differences & Guide 2025
Article 28
According to article 28 of Domestic workers law in UAE if worker is detained under some case or found indulged in any criminal activity then he will not get salary of that period and will not get the gratuity at the time of end of service.
How to Calculate Gratuity for Housemaids and Domestic Workers? Step-by-Step Guide
- Log in to the official MoHRE website at https://www.mohre.gov.ae/en/home.aspx
- Click on the tab that reads ‘services’ and choose the ‘Domestic Worker Calculator.
- Fill in the relevant details, like the date of commencement and termination of your contract, as well as gross and net salary.
- Choose a reason for leaving your job, i.e you resigned or you were fired by your employer.
- Chunk in your Salary, Annual leave Salary, Weekend Allowance and Work Injury Disablement rates.
- Your domestic staff Total Allowances as gratuity for housemaids or domestic helpers will now appear on our screen in AED. You may also download the file and print or otherwise store the record.
You can also use the Gratuity Calculator UAE to find out your end of service.
Current Legal Updates and Future Considerations
The UAE is strengthening standards on domestic workers in working to ensure fair treatment and sufficient safeguards for the significant income of domestic staff. Worker protections have been bolstered in recent updates, and employers have been given clearer instructions.
Knowing about these legal developments in progress allows employers and employees to remain compliant and be prepared for what may come in the future. The move to prioritize the welfare of the workers comes amid the UAE’s efforts to ensure that labor standards are maintained in all sectors of employment.
Regular updating of the domestic workers law would lead to sustained compliance and enable the parties to know their rights and obligations as the employment relationship progresses.
Bottom Line
Labour law and tip for housemaids and cleaner in the UAE In the United Arab Emirates, tipping your housemaid and cleaner is a certain right protected by a comprehensive federal law. The 14-day per year of service wage model as a meaningful source of financial assistance for workers between jobs.
If they are aware of what is expected under Articles 26, 27 and 28 of the UAE Domestic Workers Law, both the employer and the domestic worker are much better placed to negotiate the gratuity process. All will benefit from correct calculations, timely payments, and appropriate documentation which then fosters good employment relationships.
The explicit gratuity laws indicates UAE’s intention to provided for protection of domestic worker and to have a fair practice of any kind of labour not only domestic. They offer financial stability to domestic workers and set reasonable standards for employers.
