Q: I have signed an offer letter with a certain company, can I decline it and sign another offer letter?

Q: Hello, I am in Dubai and I have got a labour offer letter from a new employer (XYZ). In the interim of cancelling the current employment visa, I have got another offer with a good raise in salary from (ABC). Now, is it mandatory that I have to join the company from which I have got labour offer letter and we have signed, or can I go ahead with the 2nd offer which has been made to me?

Q: Hi Ahmad, I hope you're doing good. I'm contacting you through https://legaladviceme.com/. My Query is: I'm under a probation period of 6 months with a company based in DMCC, JLT, Dubai. I have an offer letter from a company based in Mainland Dubai. If I resign from my current employer and accept the offer in the mainland, will there be a chance of any ban or penalty? Thank you.

Q: Hi, In my offer letter, which I signed, it is written that the visa cost of AED 5000 will be incurred if the employee leaves before visa expiration. After 6 months, I have given resignation with two months’ notice period according to my unlimited term employment contract. Do I have to give AED 5000 as a visa penalty? My boss says that he won’t accept my resignation until I pay the company 5000 AED. It has been 16 days since he didn't accept my resignation. He is forcing me to give 5000 AED and threatened to ban me if I do not pay. Can I go to MOHRE? If I launch a complaint to MOHRE and the matter is still not resolved and it is referred to the court, do I have to hire a lawyer then?

Q: I have signed a limited-term contract of 2 years as an HR Manager. Can I resign before the end date of my contract to join another company?

Q: In case of voluntary termination of employment by the employee, prior to completion of the first year of service, the employee will be liable to pay back, in full, all costs incurred by the company as a part of the employment process. Such costs may include but are not limited to the employee's relocation costs and his family, air tickets, residence visa expenses, technical training course costs... etc. Further, the company will not be liable to bear any employee or dependents’ repatriation costs. Is this position correct?

Q: Please advise if medical insurance is a recruitment cost.

Q: Hi, Is it legal for employers to deduct change of status and inside-the-country visa fees from employees? Is it the employer's responsibility to provide family medical insurance for their employees, according to UAE law?

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.

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.

According to this Decree, tentative approval to admit a foreign worker for the purpose of employment in the UAE cannot be granted until an Employment Offer that conforms with the Standard Employment Contract is duly signed by the employee and presented to the Ministry of Labour.

The provisions of this law, promulgating UAE Civil Code, govern the civil transactions in the United Arab Emirates. The commercial transactions remain subject to the laws and regulations applicable in their regard.

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).