UAE Employees Can Request Work-From-Home During Online Schooling, But Employer Approval Remains Key Under Labour Law

The temporary shift to online classes in some UAE schools has once again raised questions among working parents about their right to request remote work arrangements. While many employees, particularly single parents, seek flexibility during such periods, UAE labour law does not automatically oblige employers to allow staff to work from home.

Under the UAE’s employment regulations, remote work is recognised as a legitimate form of employment, either on a full-time or part-time basis, provided both the employer and employee mutually agree to the arrangement. The law allows work to be carried out outside the workplace through electronic communication instead of physical presence at the office.

The provisions are outlined in Cabinet Resolution No. 1 of 2022, issued for the implementation of Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 regulating employment relations in the UAE. The resolution recognises remote work as an approved work model and allows companies and employees to structure employment contracts accordingly.

However, the law makes it clear that remote work cannot be imposed unilaterally by either side. Any work-from-home arrangement must be based on mutual consent between the employer and employee. This means employees may request flexible or remote working arrangements during periods of online schooling, but employers are not legally bound to approve such requests unless the employment contract or company policy already provides for it.

The regulations also require remote work arrangements to be documented formally. Employment contracts in the UAE must clearly specify essential details such as the employee’s role, wages, working hours, leave entitlements, workplace, notice period and other conditions governing the employment relationship. Employers and employees may additionally agree to include clauses related to remote work.

The law further allows an existing employment contract to be converted from one work model to another, including to a remote work contract, provided certain conditions are met. These include approval from both parties, settlement of all entitlements linked to the original contract, and compliance with procedures prescribed by the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (Mohre).

The regulations also permit employers to define specific working hours for employees working remotely, whether the work is performed from within or outside the UAE. This means remote work does not exempt employees from complying with company schedules, productivity requirements or operational expectations.

In practice, whether an employee can work from home during temporary online schooling periods often depends on the nature of the job, operational requirements of the employer, company flexibility policies and the terms agreed in the employment contract. Employees who require such arrangements are generally advised to discuss the matter directly with their employers and explore whether temporary flexible arrangements can be accommodated.

For many working parents in the UAE, especially single parents, annual leave is often used during periods when remote work requests are declined. While the law recognises and regulates remote work, it ultimately leaves the decision to the mutual agreement between employers and employees rather than creating an automatic entitlement to work from home during school closures or online learning periods.

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