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I Work in Someone's Home and I'm Being Mistreated

“I work in someone's home and I'm being mistreated, and I don't know who I'm even allowed to ask for help.”

Domestic workers in the UAE — including housemaids, nannies, drivers, cooks and other household staff — are covered by their own federal law, separate from the employment law that covers office and company workers, and it gives you specific rights and a specific complaint process.

If you've searched for help with this and found pages written for the family who employs you rather than for you, that isn't in your head — it's a real gap in what's available online, and it's one reason this page exists. You have real legal protections, a real place to complain, and options that don't require you to simply endure the situation. LEXNOVA is not a law firm and cannot intervene directly, but we can help you describe your situation and connect you with a lawyer experienced in domestic worker cases, with every match reviewed by a person.

LAST REVIEWED 21 SEPTEMBER 2026

WHERE THIS IS HANDLED

MOHRE's domestic worker complaint channel and Tadbeer centres, with escalation available to the police or courts for serious cases.

How the answer changes by jurisdiction

  • Dubai

    The federal domestic workers law applies, administered through Tadbeer centres and MOHRE's domestic worker channels. This is the same across the emirate regardless of where in Dubai you work.

  • Abu Dhabi

    The same federal law applies, administered through Abu Dhabi's own Tadbeer-equivalent service centres. Domestic work is not treated differently here from Dubai — it's a federal regime, not an emirate one.

  • DIFC

    DIFC's Employment Law does not cover domestic workers employed by a household — that law is built for company employment within the DIFC, not private household staff. If you work in a home located within DIFC's physical area, you're still covered by the federal domestic workers law, not DIFC employment law.

  • ADGM

    The same applies as in DIFC: the ADGM Employment Regulations 2024 govern company employment within ADGM, not domestic work in a private home. A domestic worker in an ADGM-area household is covered by the federal domestic workers law, exactly as anywhere else in the UAE.

WHAT YOU CAN DO NEXT

STEP 01

If you are in immediate danger, prioritise your safety first

If you are being physically or sexually abused, or you are being confined against your will, treat this as an emergency before anything else — contacting the police (999) or a trusted embassy or consulate is appropriate immediately. Legal and immigration process questions can be addressed once you are safe.

STEP 02

Know that mistreatment is a legal issue, not just a personal grievance

Withholding your passport, refusing rest periods, non-payment of wages, physical or verbal abuse, and cutting you off from contacting anyone are all things the law addresses directly — this isn't something you have to just accept as part of the job.

STEP 03

Understand who actually regulates this relationship

Your employer is your individual sponsor, not a company, but you are still covered by a specific federal law and MOHRE has a dedicated domestic worker complaint channel — this exists specifically because your situation is different from office employment.

STEP 04

Reach out to a Tadbeer centre or MOHRE directly

Tadbeer centres exist specifically to handle domestic worker matters, including complaints, and can act as an intermediary between you and your employer or sponsor. You do not need your employer's permission or cooperation to contact one.

STEP 05

Document what's happening if it's safe to do so

Where you're able to do so safely, keep a simple record of dates, what happened, and any injuries, unpaid amounts or confiscated documents. This becomes important if the matter needs to go further than an initial complaint.

STEP 06

Know your passport should not be held against your will

Your employer keeping your passport without your agreement, or refusing to return it when asked, is a recognised problem you can raise directly with MOHRE, a Tadbeer centre, or the police, depending on how serious the situation is.

STEP 07

Get help finding a lawyer who takes domestic worker cases seriously

Some legal complaint routes for domestic workers can be pursued without needing to personally fund a lawyer, but where you do want one, look specifically for someone with real experience in domestic worker cases — this is a distinct area, not a generic employment matter, and LEXNOVA can help connect you with a lawyer suited to it.

START YOUR REQUEST

Tell Us About Your Situation.

The matter type is already set to Employment, so the form begins with your location. LEXNOVA is a lawyer-matching service, not a law firm — any legal advice comes directly from the independent legal professional you are connected with.

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FAQ

No — domestic workers have their own federal law, separate from the law that covers company employees. It gives you specific rights around rest periods, wages, leave and treatment, and MOHRE has a dedicated channel for domestic worker complaints.

Your passport is your personal document. If your employer is holding it without your agreement and refuses to return it when you ask, this is a real issue you can raise with MOHRE, a Tadbeer centre, or the police if the situation is serious.

This is a legal issue you can raise through MOHRE's domestic worker complaint channel or a Tadbeer centre, the same as any wage dispute — you don't have to simply accept it because you work in a private home rather than an office.

Yes — the law provides for daily rest and time off, though the exact arrangement can vary with your specific contract; if you're being denied any rest or day off at all, that's worth raising directly.

If you're in immediate danger, contact the police on 999 or reach out to your embassy or consulate as a priority. Once you're safe, MOHRE and Tadbeer centres can help you address the employment side of the situation.

This is a genuinely difficult situation because leaving without going through the proper channel can create its own complications, including a possible absconding report. If it's safe to do so, contacting a Tadbeer centre or MOHRE first, or the police in an emergency, gives you a documented, safer path than simply walking away unannounced.

Tadbeer centres are the official government-linked centres set up specifically to handle domestic worker recruitment and complaints. They exist because domestic work has different rules from company employment, and they're a route to raise problems that doesn't require your employer's cooperation.

Making a legitimate complaint about mistreatment is not, on its own, a reason for you to be deported. Genuine concerns about how a complaint might affect your status are exactly the kind of question worth raising with a lawyer or Tadbeer centre directly rather than assuming the worst and staying silent.

This is a form of pressure some employers use, but a report filed purely in retaliation for a legitimate complaint can itself be challenged, and can create problems for the employer rather than just for you.

Being cut off from any outside contact is a serious concern the authorities take seriously, not a normal condition of the job — this is worth flagging clearly if it's happening to you.

Yes — domestic work is governed by federal law uniformly across all emirates, including households located within DIFC or ADGM's areas. Those free zones' own employment laws are built for company employment and don't apply to domestic work at all.

Recruitment agencies have their own obligations, and being misled about the terms of your work is a separate, additional issue you can raise alongside any complaint about your current employer.

Depending on the circumstances, there are routes to transfer to a different sponsor, particularly where mistreatment or a serious breach by your current employer is involved — this is worth discussing with a Tadbeer centre or a lawyer directly.

MOHRE or the Tadbeer centre will typically look into the complaint and may bring both sides together to try to resolve it; more serious matters, including abuse, can be escalated further, including to the police or courts.

No — interpretation support exists for exactly this reason, since many domestic workers in the UAE speak neither language as a first language. Not speaking Arabic or English is not a reason to avoid reaching out.

No — for immediate danger, contact the police on 999 first. LEXNOVA is not a law firm and doesn't provide advice or emergency intervention itself; once you're safe, we can help you find a lawyer experienced in domestic worker cases, with every match reviewed by a person.

Costs vary and LEXNOVA doesn't set or control lawyers' fees, but some domestic worker complaint routes through MOHRE and Tadbeer don't require a paid lawyer at all for the initial stages — it's worth asking specifically about this when you reach out.

LEXNOVA is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice, legal opinions, legal representation, or legal services. Any legal advice or representation is provided directly by the independent legal professional engaged by the client.

A connection or introduction does not constitute a guarantee, endorsement, or assurance of outcome. Users should independently confirm the professional's qualifications, authorization, fees, scope of engagement, and suitability.

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