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تطبيق تغيرات سياسة الموارد البشرية في مكافأة نهاية الخدمة بأثر رجعي

مرحبًا،

أحتاج إلى نصيحة بشأن مسألة متعلقة بالموارد البشرية:

1. انضممت إلى الشركة في 19 نوفمبر 2014. كان دليل الموارد البشرية الداخلي للشركة في ذلك الوقت يشير إلى أن مكافأة نهاية الخدمة قابلة للتطبيق على جميع الموظفين بعد إكمال سنة واحدة من الخدمة.

2. في يناير 2018، غيرت الشركة دليل الموارد البشرية. تم تغيير النقطة المتعلقة بمكافأة نهاية الخدمة من سنة واحدة إلى 5 سنوات.

3. المشكلة هي أنهم طبقوا سياسة الموارد البشرية الجديدة بأثر رجعي وليس مستقبلي. إنهم يطبقون الأحكام الجديدة المتعلقة بمكافأة نهاية الخدمة على جميع العاملين حتى المنضمين قبل تنفيذ سياسة الموارد البشرية الجديدة.

4. الاستفسارات:

أ. هل يمكن تطبيق أي تغيير في سياسة الموارد البشرية بأثر رجعي من الناحية القانونية؟

ب. هل أنا على حق في أن أطلب أن تكون الفوائد على أساس سياسة الموارد البشرية السابقة (التي كانت تطبق في وقت انضمامي للشركة، أي نوفمبر 2014)، بدلاً من سياسة الموارد البشرية الجديدة التي يتم تنفيذها في يناير 2018؟

أود أيضًا الحصول على رد مكتوب / رسمي منك على هذه الاستفسارات على ورق مروّس.

يرجى تقديم المشورة بشأن الأتعاب.

Al Nassar Advocates & Legal Consultants
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18 Mar 2019, 12:02

Dear Sir/ Madam,

Thank you for getting in touch with me on this.

You have raised a very legally relevant point in today's market where HR prepares policy which is in utter violation of the UAE Labour Law with the sole intent to deny employees their rights.

Firstly, legally speaking only rules relating to procedures are applied retrospectively and laws which assign rights are always applied prospectively.

Further, the authority to levy rules retrospectively lies only with the legislation. Hence on this sole basis, the HR Policy regarding the change in the rule for gratuity fails and is without any merit.

Secondly, the rules applicable to gratuity are embodied in Federal Law No. 8 of 1980 under Articles 132-141 which expressly grants you a gratuity upon completion of one or more years of service with the company.

A company HR cannot make a policy which is in complete contravention and contrary to the legislative enactments.

Hence irrespective of the policy, every employee is entitled to gratuity upon completion of one year of service, however, the quantum may vary depending on the number of years service.

I would be happy to provide you with the legal opinion in our letterhead with concise legal provisions if you require.

You may get in touch with me on email or contact on 052-9495731 for further clarification and assistance.

I trust you will find the above satisfactory.

Regards,

Hari Wadhwana

20 Mar 2019, 04:34

Kindly advise me on the charges for issuance of such letter on your letterhead.

Also, I understand that the labour law allows for the gratuity only after the completion of 5 years under a limited contract type.

The company has given us a limited contract. They have mentioned the 5-year provision in the New HR Policy effective 1 Jan 2018 and applying it to all the employees who even joined when the older HR policy was in force.

But, my basic query is on the fact that since the earlier HR Policy allowed the gratuity payout for employment of more than 1 year, they cannot apply the new HR Policy retrospectively for all employees joining before the date of the change in HR Policy.

Hope I could explain the scenario properly to you.

20 Mar 2019, 06:06

Dear Sir/ Madam,

It is not true that the UAE Labour Law allows for EOSB only after completion of 5 years.

It is only if an employee abandons (resigns) from the job before completing his contract period (3-year contract but terminating in 2nd year itself) and if the employee has worked in the organisation for less than 5 years, then the employee loses rights.

With regard to the retrospective rule, the court will grant relief on the basis of whats advantageous to the employees and in line with the law.

Courts will always give precedence of UAE Labour Law over a company HR policy.

Hence, for example, an employee is having a limited contract for 3 years and complete his three years and resigns, the company will be obliged to provide him with gratuity irrespective of the HR policy.

For reasons relating to confidentiality, I cannot discuss the charges for a legal opinion on company letterhead but we can discuss the same over email.

Regards,

Hari Wadhwana

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