Q: Currently working at Company X in Dubai. I recently got a stronger offer from Company Y, a much larger firm in the same industry but in a different free zone. When I asked if Company X could match the offer, they proposed a bonus, not a salary adjustment. I resigned. While I didn’t disclose where I was going, they seem to know, and their legal team has started sending letters. My contract has restrictive clauses, including: “For 12 months post-termination, the employee shall not, without prior written consent, (a) be employed or engaged in any capacity by any business in competition in the UAE with any Restricted Business; (b) have business dealings with any Client or Prospective Client in such competition.” Friends in law say it’s too broad to enforce. I held a manager role, AED 30k/month, not C-level, though considered a key member. Despite the pressure, I believe they’re overreaching legally. Please advise if these non-compete clauses are enforceable.

Q: Hello, The Second Party shall be obliged to pay back the value of the training (which is estimated at AED 10,000) if they terminate the employment contract of their own free will within one year from the date of commencement, without prejudice to the First Party's legal or contractual obligations. (The amount agreed upon for the value of the training period must be commensurate with the employee’s period of employment.) I have that clause in my labour contract regarding the training fees, but despite completing 359 days of service with the company, I have not received any such certification from them. Now, the company is refusing to cancel my employment and is demanding that I pay AED 10,000. In response, I filed a complaint with the Labour Department requesting the cancellation of my labour card. However, the process is being delayed, and meanwhile, the company has filed a counter-complaint against me, demanding the full AED 10,000. What can I do?

Q: Hello, My employer is asking me to pay the training fees to cancel my visa. What should I do?

The UAE has adopted a major reform in its legislative system that brought about 40 new laws and amendments to the company law, criminal law, personal status, among others. The amendments aim to develop the legislative structure in various sectors, the labor law being one of these, was the most recent. We try in this article to shed light on the changes introduced with the new labor law and their significance on both, the employer and employee.

An interview-format article covering the topic of employment in the UAE. This is from the legal podcast of lawyer Ludmila Yamalova, the founder of Lawgical with LYLAW. In this article, Ludmila informs readers what they should do and where they should go if they have not been paid by their employer.

There are laws and international conventions in place to protect workers’ rights and ensure their wellbeing. Specifically, under the UAE Labor Law (Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021), there are established procedures for terminating employment contracts.

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).

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.