Aldar Properties PJSC

Worker Welfare Policy

 Aldar Properties PJSC
Worker Welfare Policy

INTRODUCTION:

At Aldar we are committed to the welfare of all workers involved in the construction,
operation and maintenance of our projects and assets. This policy defines our
commitment to the health, safety, and dignity of our directly employed workers as well as
those employed by our contractual partners.

Our policy and principles are founded in the laws and regulations of the United Arab
Emirates but also incorporate best practices from International Labour Organisation
Fundamental Conventions and recognised international frameworks including the United
Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals and the Dhaka Principles, as developed by
Institute of Human Rights and Business.

POLICY COMMITMENTS:

The worker welfare policy and principles are integral to our corporate values. We will meet
our commitment through building controls and requiring our contractual partners to apply
the below principles to their own supply chain.

▪ Fair and equal treatment: Workers receive fair and equal treatment and
opportunity and are free from discrimination or harassment in any form.
▪ No forced or child labour: All work is voluntary, and no one is forced to work on
our projects. No one is employed under the age 18.
▪ Employer pays for recruitment: We follow the ‘employer-pays’ principle; no
worker pays for their employment. Contracts are transparent and communicated.
▪ No withholding personal documents: Worker’s identity documents or other
valuable items, including passports, are not confiscated by employers.
▪ Wages paid directly and on time: Workers receive their full monthly wages and
benefits electronically, accurately, on time and in line with their contract.
▪ Safe and decent working conditions: Workers’ hours do not exceed those
permitted by law and are provided with safe, secure and healthy working
environments.
▪ Safe and healthy living conditions: Employer-provided accommodation and
food is hygienic, secure, safe and healthy, and transport is air-conditioned and
safe.
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Worker Welfare Policy

▪ Right to speak up: Workers have access to multiple grievance reporting

mechanisms and may report without prejudice, with anonymity respected.
▪ Guarantee of legal rights: Workers are free to exercise their legal rights, without
fear of retribution, and receive education on their rights.
▪ Freedom of movement and work: Workers have unrestricted movement, are free
to change employers at any time and are not subject to employment bans.

SCOPE:

▪ This policy applies to Aldar Properties PJSC, including Aldar Development, Aldar
Investment, and its subsidiaries. Aldar Properties PJSC requires its business
partners to uphold and apply the policy in their own operations as well as in their
supply chain.

ALDAR WORKER WELFARE REQUIREMENTS:

The following table details Aldar’s worker welfare requirements.:

Worker Welfare Requirements in detail

Requirement

No ▪ Workers are not discriminated against in any way and are treated equally and fairly,
discrimination irrespective of nationality, race, gender or ethnic origin, religion, or any other category
that does not affect the workers’ ability to do the job.

▪ Discrimination is prohibited in relation to recruitment, salary, benefits, advancement,

discipline or termination.

▪ Appropriate disciplinary measures are prescribed for any individual found guilty of
discrimination.

No harassment ▪ Workers are not subject to any form of harassment, including physical, sexual,
psychological, or verbal harassment.

▪ Appropriate disciplinary measures are prescribed for any individual found guilty of
harassment.

Equal ▪ Workers performing the same role, with equal experience, receive equal
opportunity remuneration, benefits; treatment; evaluation of the quality of their work; and equal
opportunity to fill all positions.

▪ Female workers receive equal remuneration and benefits to their male counterparts.

▪ Workers are not forced or pressured to use contraception.

▪ Female workers are not required to submit to a pregnancy test as a requirement of

recruitment or employment.
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Worker Welfare Policy

Fair ▪ Workers are not subject to any form of inhumane treatment, abuse or humiliating
disciplinary disciplinary action.
measures
▪ No form of corporal punishment is used or tolerated.

No forced ▪ Workers are not forced to work against their individual will and consent.
labour
▪ The employer’s workforce does not include any prison labour, any workers employed
under threat of penalty or any workers who are entrapped in employment due to debt.

▪ The employer does not engage in any human trafficking practices.

No child labour ▪ Only workers who are 18 (eighteen) years or older are employed.

Voluntary ▪ Overtime hours completed are voluntary for all workers.

overtime

No fees ▪ The employer is responsible for all costs related to the recruitment, employment or
recruitment commencement of employment of any worker. This includes but is not limited to costs
relating to; securing the employment, candidate search, placement/ recruitment fees,
relocation costs, expatriation costs, UAE residency, issuance of necessary work
permits, and issuance of health insurance.

▪ The employer ensures that any recruitment agencies used are reputable and licensed
with the relevant authority in the country where the service is being performed.

▪ The employer’s contracts or agreements with recruitment agencies clearly state that:
o Agencies may not subcontract any part of the assignment to another agency.
o Candidates are not charged any recruitment fee or any other form of fees.
o The employer retains the right to terminate the agreement if fee payment is
uncovered.
o Workers who have paid recruitment fees are reimbursed in full for that fee by
their employer in one payment.

Contract ▪ Candidates are clearly informed of the terms and conditions of their employment
transparency during their recruitment and are provided with an offer of employment letter in a
language that they understand.

▪ Offer of employment letters include all remuneration and benefits details.

▪ If a candidate is illiterate the employer provides the candidate with adequate verbal
and pictorial explanations of their remuneration, benefits and rights.

▪ Employment contracts comply with the minimum requirements of UAE Labour Law
and are approved and registered by the UAE Ministry of Human Resources and
Emiratisation.

▪ Remuneration and benefits details of each workers’ signed Contract of Employment

matches the remuneration and benefits details of the signed offer of employment
letter.

No retention of ▪ The employer does not confiscate or withhold workers personal documents; these
personal documents include but are not limited to passports. emirates identification card, bank
documents cards, drivers' licenses or health insurance cards.
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Worker Welfare Policy

▪ The employer only holds workers passports for the purposes of obtaining or renewing
of a residency visa or cancellation of the residency visa upon termination of a workers
Contract of Employment.

▪ If a worker requests that their passport is held by the company for safekeeping, the
worker is entitled to the unconditional return of their passport or personal documents
as and when requested. In such instances the worker signs a passport retention form
written in a language that they understand, which clearly demonstrates the workers
choice and established that the time required for the return of a personal document
must not exceed 24 hours in regular cases and 6 hours in emergency cases.
o In the event of damage, loss or destruction of a personal document whilst in
the possession of the employer or during the process of obtaining or
renewing a residency visa, the employer must replace such personal
document at their own expense.

Timely wage ▪ Workers are paid their full monthly wages through the Wage Protection System6
payment electronic salary transfer system via banks, bureaux de change, or financial
institutions approved and authorized to provide the service.

▪ Workers’ full monthly wages include all dues payable in accordance with their
Contract of Employment, this includes but is not limited to basic salary, monetary
allowances, and overtime payments.

▪ Workers’ full monthly wages are paid without delay and not exceeding the 15th
calendar day of the following month.

Full wages and ▪ The employer maintains a payroll register of all its workers, setting out all their wages
benefits and the calculation thereof, including the following information at a minimum: basic
wage; allowances; bonuses; hours worked; overtime hours worked on weekdays;
overtime hours worked on weekends or public holidays; payment of overtime;
deductions with detailed explanations,

▪ Deductions from workers’ wages do not exceed 10% (ten per cent) of the workers’
monthly gross wage.

▪ The employer does not make any deductions relating to health and safety equipment
required for work, transportation, costs incurred to obtain or renew work permits.

Correct ▪ Workers receive payment for overtime as prescribed by the UAE Labour Law, and is
overtime calculated on the workers’ gross, not basic, wages.
remuneration
▪ Overtime remuneration is, at a minimum, a supplement of:

▪ 150% of the worker’s hourly wage, based on gross salary, for each hour, or
part thereof, of overtime work completed on a public holiday. The worker is
alternatively be provided with a substitute day off and be paid 50% of the
hourly wage, based on gross salary, for each hour, or part thereof, of
overtime work completed on a public holiday.

▪ 50% of the worker’s hourly wage, based on gross salary, for each hour, or
part thereof, of overtime work completed on a Friday or the worker’s
equivalent weekly day off. The worker is alternatively be provided with a
substitute day off.
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Worker Welfare Policy

▪ 50% of the worker’s hourly wage, based on gross salary, for each hour, or
part thereof, of overtime work completed on regular days between 21.00 and
04.00.

▪ 25% of the worker’s hourly wage, based on gross salary, for each hour, or
part thereof, of overtime work completed at any other time.

Employer ▪ The employer provides all of their workers with medical insurance from the
provided commencement of their employment.
medical
insurance ▪ The cost of insurance is borne solely by the employer.

▪ The health insurance policy coverage must include the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.

Full leave ▪ Workers receive a minimum of 30 calendar days paid annual leave per 12 months of
benefits service and are eligible to avail accrued annual leave upon the completion of their
probationary period.

▪ Approval of annual leave is not unreasonably delayed or withheld.

▪ Annual leave salary is paid to workers prior to their departure on leave and must
include at a minimum the basic wage and any payable accommodation allowance
owed to the worker.

▪ Workers are entitled to leave with full pay for all UAE public holidays. Public holidays,
whether or not they fall during the annual holiday, must not be counted as part of the
minimum annual holiday with pay.
e. Workers are entitled to paid sick leave, which is not counted as part of the annual
leave balance. Workers are entitled to 15 days of sick leave with full pay, the next 30
days with half pay and maximum of 45 following days without pay.

▪ Female workers receive maternity leave with full pay for a period of 45 calendar days,
which can be taken before or after delivery; as well as two nursing intervals each day,
of half an hour each, for 18 months following the delivery.

▪ At the end of their employment, workers receive all wages and dues payable to them
prior to their return to their country of origin. These dues include but are not limited to
wages, severance pay, annual leave balance and in cases of termination repatriation
tickets.

Legal working ▪ Workers are not required to work more than forty-eight (48) hours per week, or eight
hours (8) hours per day or more than five (5) successive hours without breaks, amounting in
aggregate to not less than one (1) hour.

▪ Workers are entitled to at least one day off in every seven-day period.

▪ Workers who voluntarily complete overtime hours are not required to work more than
two hours of overtime per day.
o Worker do not work on more than two consecutive Fridays; and do not
complete more than five hours of work on any Friday, or equivalent weekly
day off.

▪ The employer implements summer working hours from 1 June to 30 September,

during which time no duties can be carried out under direct sunlight between 12pm
and 3pm.
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Worker Welfare Policy

▪ The employer complies with the two-hour reduction in regular working hours during
the holy month of Ramadan.

Health and ▪ The employer abides by the Abu Dhabi Occupational Safety and Health System
safety at work Framework (OSHAD SF) and any other relevant federal or municipal regulations,
directives or minimum standards.

▪ The employer abides by the requirements of the Aldar Environment, Health & Safety
Management System.

Decent ▪ If the employer’s workforce includes fifty (50) workers or more, where the wage of
accommodatio each worker is less than AED 2,000 per month, the employer provides
n and food accommodation to its workers.

▪ Where workers are provided with accommodation, the accommodation facility

complies with Cabinet Decision No. (13) of 2009 on Approving the General Standards
Manual for Group Labour Accommodation and Related Services; as well as any other
relevant federal or municipal regulations, directives or minimum standards.

▪ The employer has a valid contract or agreement with the accommodation owner or
operator, showing the showing the number of rooms, and workers per room.

▪ Worker bedrooms are not overcrowded; and do not accommodate more than
eight (8) workers, or each of whom has a space of not less than 4m2.

▪ Employer-provided accommodation is operated or overseen by an experienced and

competent accommodation manager.

▪ Where workers are provided with catered food at the accommodation, the food served
takes into consideration cultural and religious background, dietary requirements and
the need for a balanced and healthy diet.

Safe ▪ Employer-provided transportation is through registered vehicles owned by the

transportation employer or leased registered vehicles from a licensed transportation provider.

▪ The vehicles used to transport workers to and from project sites are free of charge,
air-conditioned, regularly serviced, well maintained and equipped with seatbelts and
fire extinguishers.

Clear ▪ Workers have multiple avenues to report their grievances, including but not limited to,
grievance their direct line managers, their accommodation managers where applicable and the
mechanisms employer’s human resources or administration departments.

▪ Workers have the right to appeal decisions made following the investigation of their
grievance.

▪ Workers are afforded protection from any prejudice or retaliation.

▪ Workers are afforded anonymity, where requested.

▪ The employer records and logs grievances and use them as a source of continuous
learning.

Guarantee of ▪ The employer clearly communicates to workers that they are permitted to exercise
legal rights any of their legal rights under the law, without fear of victimisation, harassment or
discrimination.
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Worker Welfare Policy

▪ The employer clearly communicates to workers that they are free to resign or refuse
to perform work that poses an unacceptable health or safety risk at any time.

Clear ▪ The employer conducts an induction programme for all workers on their legal rights
inductions and responsibilities, Aldar’s worker welfare requirements and health and safety, as
applicable to their role. The induction is conducted at the commencement of the
workers’ engagement on an Aldar project and in a language they understand.

▪ The employer provides regular periodic refresher sessions on the induction material to
all its workers.

▪ The employer keeps a record of all workers who have attended the initial induction
and subsequent refresher sessions and obtains each worker’s signature on an
attendance register.

▪ Induction presentations and regular refresher sessions are conducted during normal
working hours and the induction is not considered part of the workers’ break time.
Workers will receive no deductions for induction time.

Freedom of ▪ Workers have freedom of movement outside their normal working hours.
movement
▪ Workers who reside at employer-provide accommodation are not subject to
restrictions on their movement and no curfew is imposed.

▪ Workers are free to change employers at any time, provided that they serve their
notice period; the employer does not impede or hinder this process in any way and
provides the required documentation to complete the change.

▪ Workers are not subject to employment bans.

MONITORING:
Aldar will conduct monitoring on contractual partners, and their supply chains, engaged
on our projects or assets; and respond effectively to remedy the issues identified.

Monitoring will seek to identify any non-compliances with the policy, principles or
requirements and additionally provide remedial actions to be undertaken by the
contractual partner or element of their supply chain.

OWNERSHIP:

The Policy is owned by the Management Committee of Aldar.

At an operational level, the head of procurement sustainability & supplier management

and the leadership (including Aldar Development and Aldar Investment) are responsible
for implementing the policy with the appropriate standards and procedures.