Q: Dear Sir/Madam, I have been working in Dubai since November 2022, but my employer applied for my visa at the end of December and I received my MOHRE contract and residency in early January. It is a limited contract. In February, our employer made us sign an offer letter that has different clauses than the MOHRE labor contract. When I asked the employer, they said it was just a formality for our own personal records. The labor contract and the offer letter both have different clauses (pay, allowance). The offer letter also states that the company can hold my passport, and even if I complete my probation or work for 23 months and 28 days (before 24 months), I will have to pay them the visa fee if I resign. I wanted to go on leave due to family matters involving my mother's health, but my employer is not allowing me and is holding my passport. Can they do that? Secondly, if I resign without a notice period, am I liable to pay for the visa fee (based on the offer letter)? What if I don't pay? Can they ban me on this basis?

Q: Dear Sir/Madam, What if I resign from the company during my probation period? My contract, Article 4, mentions that I have to pay 6,000 AED in training charges if I leave within one year of the contract. My offer letter states that training charges will be compensated, if incurred. Will I be able to leave the company, or can they file a case against me?

س: مرحبًا سيدي كيف يمكنني احتساب فترة الاختبار الخاصة بي؟ انضممت إلى الشركة في 22 نوفمبر وأعطتني الشركة خطاب عرض في 15 ديسمبر. ما هو التاريخ الذي سيتم احتسابه لفترة الاختبار التي تبلغ 6 أشهر وفقًا لقانون الإمارات؟ هل يمكنني الاستقالة قبل 6 أشهر من فترة الاختبار أم بعد 6 أشهر؟ هل يجب عليّ دفع أي تكاليف تأشيرة للشركة عند انتهاء فترة الاختبار التي تبلغ 6 أشهر؟

Q: Dear lawyer, I am working in Dubai in a company and I won the American Diversity visa program, so I booked my US Visa interview in Abu Dhabi but from Ghana. I am under an employment agreement.

Q: Dear Sir/Madam, Currently, I have been working at a private hospital for the past month. I recently received a job offer letter from a government hospital. Consequently, I submitted my resignation letter, effective immediately. However, they are not accepting my resignation and have threatened to file a case against me for absconding if I don't report for duty. I attempted to contact the HR department, but unfortunately, the HR representative is on leave, and no one else is addressing my situation. I would appreciate your assistance and advice in this matter.

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 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).

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.