UAE Expands Worker Protections in First Half of 2026 with Over Dh832 Million in Payouts

DUBAI — The UAE's worker protection system delivered more than Dh832 million in compensation to employees during the first half of 2026, as authorities stepped up efforts to safeguard labour rights, strengthen financial security and improve workplace wellbeing, the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE) said.

The figures, released on Tuesday, bring together two flagship schemes within the country's Social Protection System, placing direct financial support alongside awareness, summer safety and accommodation measures under a single national framework.

Two schemes, hundreds of millions in support

Under the Workers Protection Programme, more than 44,000 workers received over Dh320 million in compensation by the end of June, at an average of about Dh7,000 each. The programme is designed to secure employees' unpaid financial entitlements, and by the end of 2025 it already covered around 99 percent of the workforce.

Separately, the Unemployment Insurance Scheme paid out more than Dh512 million to workers who lost their jobs between the start of 2024 and the end of the first half of 2026. The scheme, established under Federal Decree-Law No. 13 of 2022, provides insured workers with 60 percent of their basic salary for up to three months following job loss, capped at Dh20,000 a month, offering temporary income while they search for new employment. Unemployment compensation rose from more than Dh350 million at the end of 2025 to over Dh512 million by the end of June 2026.

Dalal Alshehhi, Assistant Undersecretary for Labour Protection at MoHRE, said the results demonstrate the ministry's commitment to creating a working environment that protects employees and their entitlements, and that they support the country's broader objectives under the “We the UAE 2031” vision.

Beyond compensation

The ministry framed the payouts as one part of a wider push to protect and support workers. During the first half of the year, more than 1.3 million workers benefited from specialised awareness programmes — delivered in 17 languages — with all targeted workers completing mandatory guidance courses, while around 800,000 took part in social and community celebrations held at more than 60 locations across the country.

Physical protections have expanded alongside the financial measures. MoHRE said more than 12,000 rest stations are planned for delivery riders during the summer heat-stress period, up from over 10,000 the previous year, and that more than 2,800 labour accommodation facilities are now registered with the ministry and subject to monitoring.

MoHRE said the combined results reflect its efforts to build a safe, stable and sustainable labour market while protecting workers' financial entitlements and enhancing their quality of life.