ABU DHABI — A draft law, permitting private firm employees to work for those other than their sponsors, has just been given shape by the Ministry of Labour.

The Acting Director-General of the ministry, Humaid bin Deemas, told Khaleej Times on Thursday the draft law detailed the conditions and procedures for part-time work.

The draft law seeks to allow all workers in private firms to serve employers other than their sponsors for daily fixed hours, yet remain on the sponsorship of their primary employers.

Bin Deemas said part-time or temporary work involved a job of no more than six months. The ministry will submit the draft law for further action shortly.

“The Ministry has surveyed the labour market over the past period in terms of whether part-time job is needed (and evaluated) the related conditions,” Bin Deemas said.

The law attempts to reduce the expenses of companies, which can use the services of workers available within the country, instead of hiring hands without local experience from abroad.

Describing the move as an attempt to re-cycle the expertise of competent employees already in the country, Bin Deemas said it would upgrade the standard of labour in the market.

Ahmed Khalaf Al Mazrouie, Deputy Chairman of the UAE Contractors’ Association, said the move would benefit companies hit by the current global financial crisis who could not afford to sponsor new workers from overseas.

“The move will allow such companies to loan workers from other companies for a certain time,” Mazrouie said. “This will help these companies ride out of the slowdown waves.”

Bin Deemas said it was part of a policy of flexibility within the labour market, to serve the interests of private companies and allow employees to move from one workplace to another, under certain rules and conditions.

“The law governing part-time job will be for the financial benefit of the expatriate employee living and working in the country, for he/she could increase his/her monthly income by taking up an additional job with the other establishment, which requires to hire him for certain hours,” Bin Deemas said.