Thousands of people have opted to have their car impounded on their driveways in Dubai since the start of the year.
In total, more than 5,100 drivers have used the “smart impound” system, which allows residents to keep their vehicles at home, rather than have them taken to a police lot, in return for a Dh420 fee.
It works by using a tracker, which notifies Dubai Police if the car has been moved from the spot.
"Since it was launched in 2018, the smart impound system has helped motorists impound their cars outside their villa or parking lot," said Brigadier Saif Muhair Al Mazroui, director of the General Directorate of Traffic at Dubai Police.
"To ensure that impounded cars are not driven, a small tracking device will be installed inside the vehicle to alert the police and will be visible on a map in the command room.”
What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
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