Establishment of a New Free Zone: United Arab Emirates Guide Updated

Author: Melissa A. Silver, XpertHR Legal Editor

All 10 chapters of the United Arab Emirates guide have been updated to take into account the establishment of a new free zone, the Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM).

The ADGM, like the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), has its own legal jurisdiction, common-law-based court system and employment laws.

Although most of the ADGM's employment laws mirror those of the DIFC, there are some progressive differences. Notably, male employees in the ADGM are entitled to take five days of paternity leave within two months of the birth of their child, while employees in the rest of the UAE have no statutory entitlement to paternity leave.