UAE: Applications for UAE Labor Market Awards open on June 1

DUBAI: The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE) will be accepting applications for the first UAE Labor Market Awards starting tomorrow, June 1 through a dedicated website (riyada.mohre.gov.ae).

The application period is scheduled to close on August 31, with desk and field evaluations in September and an awards ceremony in November.

Approved by the UAE Cabinet in March, the awards are held annually under the patronage of Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, and organized by MoHRE, to strengthen the competitiveness of the UAE labor market and increase productivity, And to promote the well-being and quality of life of the private sector institutional workforce in the country.

The ministry invites private sector companies and workers to submit applications under the award’s three categories.

This includes six subcategories, classified according to the size of the institution as small, medium, large and very large. Under the main category, the award is given to market-leading companies that are committed to adopting HR best practices and ensuring compliance with work environment regulations and standards.

There are seven winners per institution size in the institutional category, for a total of 28 awards: seven categories (one main category and six subcategories) by four institution sizes (small, medium, large and very large).

The category is based on six specific criteria, including employment, empowerment and attracting skilled labor; occupational health and safety practices; measures related to employment relations and wages; employee benefits and quality of life; most forward-looking institutions; and quality worker housing .

To apply for this category, the designated agency must have been operating in the labor market for at least two years; it must not be government-owned and must not have been penalized for violating any of the UAE’s labor laws within the previous year; and it must be eligible for nomination applications and awards at the time surface. Previously awarded institutions will not be able to participate again until two sessions after the award has been awarded.

This category targets exceptional workers who contribute to businesses and communities in the UAE. It is divided into three subcategories: skilled labor with a higher professional level and unskilled labor with a professional level of six and below, and addresses a series of key criteria including achievement, creativity and innovation, continuous learning and social responsibility. The third subcategory—General Nominations—is open to all workforce types, recognizes outstanding community service, and accepts nominations from government entities, private companies, or community members.

According to the nomination requirements for the labor category, participants must have worked at the agency for not less than one year from the date the agency commenced operations; they must not violate the norms set by the MoHRE; and finally, participants must not have had a labor complaint lodged within the previous year or abscond. This category has 3 winners per subcategory, for a total of 12 winners.

The third category of awards recognizes business service partners, companies that have contributed to the development of pioneering labor market practices. The category is broken down into three subcategories, with the first subcategory awarded to leading domestic worker recruitment offices in the market that use best practice to provide appropriate support to domestic workers and ensure families receive the services they need.

The second subcategory, Employment Agencies, is awarded to leading recruitment agencies that employ best practices in attracting qualified human resources based on labor market needs, thereby increasing productivity and efficiency, while the third and final subcategory, Business Services Centers, is awarded to leading recruitment agencies. The Business Services Center applies best practices to enable its staff to deliver exceptional service to the UAE’s business sector.

There will be one winner per subcategory, for a total of three awards given out each year. The winning entity must have been operating in the labor market for at least two years; must not be government-owned; had not been penalized for violating UAE labor laws in the previous year; the institution must adhere to the nomination process and timetable for the award; Two editions must be passed to participate again.