Dubai Launches Worker's Voice Letting Private Sector Employees File Complaints Through the Dubai

Digital Dubai has introduced a new digital service allowing private sector workers to file employment complaints directly through the DubaiNow app. The feature, called "Worker's Voice," was developed by Dubai Police and gives employees a fully digital channel to report issues with their employers without needing to visit a service centre in person.

What the Service Covers

According to Digital Dubai, the Worker's Voice service enables employees to submit individual or collective complaints related to wages, working conditions, accommodation, or occupational health and safety requirements involving the companies or establishments where they work. The service is designed to give workers a direct, documented channel to flag concerns as they arise, rather than relying solely on in-person visits or third-party mediation to initiate a complaint.

Built Into Dubai's Unified Services App

The feature is accessible through DubaiNow, the emirate's unified digital platform for individual government and private-sector services. DubaiNow bills itself as the first and only Dubai government application offering access to more than 250 government and private-sector services from over 35 entities, spanning everything from utility payments to fines to now, workplace complaints.

Digital Dubai announced the new feature on social media, describing it as a way to make the complaints process faster and more accessible for the emirate's private sector workforce, and directed users to download the DubaiNow app to access the service directly.

Part of a Broader Digital Worker-Protection Push

Worker's Voice adds a Dubai-specific, Dubai Police-run channel alongside the UAE's existing federal system for labour disputes, which is handled through the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE). Private sector employees across the UAE can also file wage, termination, and workplace-condition complaints through MOHRE's website, mobile app, or call centre, with the ministry required under federal law to attempt an amicable settlement within 14 days before referring unresolved disputes to court.

By introducing a parallel, police-backed reporting tool through DubaiNow, Dubai adds another accessible entry point for workers to flag concerns digitally — particularly relevant for the emirate's large private-sector workforce, spanning construction, hospitality, retail, and services roles, many of whom interact with government services primarily through mobile apps.

What It Means for Workers

For employees, the launch offers a more direct, app-based alternative for reporting workplace issues without the friction of visiting a physical centre or navigating a separate portal. As with other labour-related channels in the UAE, workers pursuing formal legal remedies for serious disputes, such as unpaid wages or wrongful termination, will still likely need to engage with MOHRE's federal process for resolution and enforcement, but Worker's Voice offers an additional, more accessible first step for raising concerns.