Q: I am in my probation period. My visa is a free-zone visa and my contract is an unlimited contract. The company is giving me additional work which is out of my job description due to the resignation of an old employee. I am really struggling to complete all the responsibilities including mine and that of the ex-employee. Can I resign without getting a labour ban? Do I need to pay them anything?

س: مرحبًا، أعمل بشركة في منطقة حرة بدبي منذ ثلاثة أشهر بعقد غير محدد المدة وفترة اختبار تمتد لستة أشهر. والآن لا أشعر بالارتياح للعمل مع صاحب العمل وأريد أن أعود إلى بلدي. لذلك قمت بتقديم استقالتي منذ عشرة أيام. لم يتم إصدار تأشيرة لي بعد وجواز سفري بحوزة الشركة. لكن الشركة ترفض استقالتي وتطالبني بدفع 30.000 درهم دون توضيح السبب. هل تسمح قوانين العمل بالمناطق الحرة للشركات بتغريم الموظف الذي يستقيل خلال فترة الاختبار؟ ومتى يمكنني استعادة جواز سفري من الشركة؟ تحياتي، كاروليس جريسكيفيسيوس 

Q: Hi. I am on an unlimited contract as a project manager at a company in Dubai. I resigned from my job during the probation period, as I had to leave the country urgently and couldn't work for more than three weeks of my notice period. The company is asking me to pay them 45 days compensation as per my full salary and not my basic salary. First, are they entitled to any payment from me? Secondly, could they ask for payment as per my full salary or only basic salary? I appreciate any help on this issue. Thank you.

س: مرحبا، استقالت زوجتي أثناء فترة الحمل وكانت غير قادرة على العمل خلال فترة الإخطار بسبب تعقيدات خاصة بالحمل. قام صاحب العمل بالخصم من مكافأة نهاية الخدمة الخاصة بها كجزاء لها بسبب تغيبها أيام الأجازة المرضية خلال فترة الإخطار. تم الانتهاء من جميع الواجبات المتعلقة بالعمل وتسليم العمل، وكان صاحب العمل يدرك تماماً وضعها مع الحمل. هل يمكن لصاحب العمل أن يفرض عليها جزاءً بسبب ذلك؟

Q: Hi Hari, Appreciate if you can help me on the below query. I have recently resigned from my employer during the probation period. I submitted my resignation 12 days prior to my last working day and mentioned my last working day in my resignation. However, as per the employment contract, I have to serve them a notice period of seven days during the probation. My employer has now changed my last working day (for eg: If my last working date was 22nd of Oct they changed it to 17th of October) mentioning that you only have to serve a seven-day notice. Could you please advise if they are allowed to change my last working date? As per my understanding, it was a minimum of seven-day notice. However, I could have provided the resignation before that mentioning my last date. If they want to change the last working they have to terminate me on a minimum notice of seven days. Also, please let me know if during my probation I will be eligible for annual leave encashment and repatriation allowance.

أقرت دولة الإمارات إصلاحات تشريعية كبيرة أسفرت عن إدخال 40 قانونًا وتعديلًا جديدًا على قانون الشركات والقانون الجنائي وقانون الأحوال الشخصية وغيرها. تهدف هذه التعديلات إلى تطوير الهيكل التشريعي في مختلف القطاعات، وكان أحدثها قانون العمل. نحاول في هذا المقال إلقاء الضوء على التعديلات التي أُدخلت على قانون العمل الجديد وتأثيرها على كلٍ من صاحب العمل والعامل.

The provisions of this Law, known as "UAE Labour Law", govern the relationship between employers and employees and other labour matters in the United Arab Emirates. There are special labour related regulations applicable in some of the free zones in the UAE.

This Decree sets the rules and conditions for the termination of fixed-term (limited) or unlimited (not term-bound) employment contract between employer and worker in the United Arab Emirates.

The provisions of this Decree-Law, known as "New UAE Labor Law", govern labour relations in the private sector of the United Arab Emirates. The New Labor Law repeals the previous UAE Labor Law (Federal Law No. (8) of 1980).