With a big chunk of the working population shifting to a remote working environment during COVID-19 last year, many employees were working from their homes in the UAE. However, if you have noticed an increase in your phone, electricity or telecommunications bills, can you ask your company to compensate you for it?

Answer: The costs or expenses of the work are not covered in the UAE Labour Law or any Ministerial decree. Therefore, we have to go back to public rules in the civil law to find a text to apply on this case. As per article 913 of the UAE Civil Law, ‘the employer must provide full safety and security at his establishments and provide all means necessary to enable the employee to carry out his obligations’,

Based on this article the cost incurred by the employee for any work done should be borne by the employer. Even if there was no policy on reimbursement in the company, it can do so as a goodwill gesture.

It is a good practice to reimburse an employee for expenses incurred in his or her job, because it builds employee morale and makes the employee work efficiently. The company has already saved money on overhead expenses like electricity and maintenance while the employees are working from home.