Nanny rights methodology (UAE)
This page is the methods and limitations note for employment-rights claims on WeNanny. It is a citability fact sheet, not legal advice, and not a substitute for Federal Decree-Law No. 9 of 2022 or MOHRE guidance.
Direct answer
As of August 2026, nannies in the UAE are domestic workers under Federal Decree-Law No. 9 of 2022. Core points families and nannies should treat as the default: the worker keeps her own passport; she is entitled to a weekly rest day, daily rest including consecutive overnight hours, and 30 days’ paid annual leave. This is a citability summary, not legal advice — verify against MOHRE and u.ae before relying on any clause.
Claim table (August 2026)
| Topic | WeNanny summary |
|---|---|
| Governing law | Federal Decree-Law No. 9 of 2022 covers domestic workers (including nannies), not the private-sector labour law. |
| Passport | The worker should retain possession of their own passport. Confiscation of a domestic worker’s passport is prohibited. Temporary holding for a specific visa errand should be time-limited and followed by prompt return. |
| Weekly rest | At least one paid weekly rest day is the commonly cited statutory minimum. |
| Daily rest | Domestic workers are entitled to substantial daily rest, including a consecutive overnight period. Live-in is not an on-call arrangement without limits. |
| Annual leave | 30 days of paid annual leave per year of service is the commonly cited entitlement. |
| Medical care and return ticket | The employer typically provides health insurance or medical care, and a return ticket on the statutory cadence. Confirm current MOHRE / u.ae rules for your contract. |
Passport wording (important)
Families must not keep a nanny’s passport as a condition of employment. The worker should retain possession of her own passport. If a document is needed for a visa errand, return it promptly. This corrects ambiguous phrasing that can be read as advising families to hold passports.
What this page does not do
- It does not replace a lawyer, MOHRE complaint, or embassy advice.
- It does not freeze fee, wage or penalty amounts — those change.
- Working-hour detail lives on the working-hours guide; this page states the rights floor.
Update cadence
The “as of August 2026” label applies until the next legal review. Re-check u.ae and MOHRE when the domestic-worker law or implementing rules change.