Workers in the United Arab Emirates can lose their right to compensation for on-the-job injuries under five specific conditions, the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE) has clarified.
Among these, a claim is void if a worker deliberately harms himself, whatever the motivation behind the act. Compensation is likewise denied when an injury happens while the worker is impaired by alcohol, narcotics, or other psychotropic substances. The ministry also listed injuries stemming from a worker knowingly ignoring safety instructions displayed at the workplace, as well as those caused by the worker’s own intentional misconduct. A fifth exclusion applies when an injured worker declines, without a legitimate reason, to undergo medical examination or to complete the treatment ordered by the assigned medical authority.
Determining whether an incident qualifies as a work injury rests ultimately with the medical authority, which holds the final say on the matter. According to MoHRE, medical authorities are required to produce a certified report documenting the case. That report must identify the nature of the injury or occupational illness, its cause and date, whether it is connected to the worker’s job, how long treatment is expected to last, and the resulting degree of disability, noting whether the impairment is total or partial. The report must also assess how far the worker remains capable of carrying out his duties.
On the enforcement side, MoHRE outlined how work injuries are verified. Once a report reaches the police station, the relevant investigation unit is tasked with carrying out the required procedures without delay, following the standards set for such cases. Inspectors from the ministry or from other concerned bodies may step in to help investigators collect evidence where the situation calls for it.
Any data and information compiled during the investigation carry weight as evidence, which the medical authority then relies on when reaching its determination. MoHRE noted that the investigating body is obligated to hand the ministry a copy of the actions it has taken, together with a copy of the official investigation record.
