What should employers know about new federal law?
People with mental disorders in the United Arab Emirates should not be terminated nor get work restrictions based on their mental health state, according to a new law.
The UAE's Federal Law No. (10) of 2023 on Mental Health took effect on Thursday, seeking to regulate the relationship between psychiatric patients and various parties dealing with them.
Under the law, a psychiatric patient is an individual diagnosed with a mental disorder, defined as "disturbances in thinking, mood, behaviour, perception, memory, and/or other mental abilities, provided that this leads to a defect in the social, employment, or educational functions or psychiatric suffering of the person."
"These disorders shall be classified according to the psychiatric classifications recognised by the relevant international organisations and bodies," the law read.
Employment rights
One of the provisions in the law includes psychiatric patients' rights on employment. According to the law, psychiatric patients have the right not to have their work restricted or employment terminated due to their disorder.
Such actions can only be taken if there is a "report from a specialised medical committee" and if it in accordance with the state's current laws.
Among other provisions that employers should likely take note of include psychiatric patients' rights on the confidentiality of their information and protection from degrading treatment, as well as financial, physical, sexual, and other forms of exploitation.
