Q: Hello. My employer is asking for 45 days compensation and it's a limited contract, I have worked for 5 months and I am under probation. I submitted my resignation and there was no mention of the penalty clause in the acceptance email. I replied saying I am in no position to pay the money and I can serve a notice. How do I get out of this situation without having to pay my compensation? Also, I would like to know if the compensation is on the basic salary.

Q: Hi I resigned in my probation period as per the notice period of my contract. I have an unlimited contract. My HR is asking me for AED 3300 to cancel the visa. Please assist me with what I need to do.

Q: Good day! I would like to ask about the early cancellation process of my unlimited contract. I got hired last February of this year and I am planning to submit my cancellation notice within this year, but I will complete my 1 yr of service. Would I be obliged to pay any visa cancellation with the company because I am under an agency and my salary is coming from the company not directly from the client? I am a full-time cleaner/housemaid. Hoping for your positive response! Thank you.

Q: Hi, My employer is asking me to pay for visa status change cost (AED 572) and entering country expenses (AED 670) from my salary. As per the offer letter, the visa cost and Emirati ID expenses will be borne by the company. Do I need to pay this amount?

Q: Good Day I received a termination last week. Now my employer is asking me to pay him visa expenses and insurance expenses since my Emirates ID came out after begging only this month. I started working for the company in October. Since they are the ones who terminated me due to performance, should I pay for the visa?

Q: I received a termination letter last week, 20th January. I was asked to visit the office. Now, my employer is asking me to pay him visa expenses and insurance expenses (total of 6500AED) since my Emirati ID was issued at the beginning of this month. I started working for the company restaurant (owned by Emirati) in October. When I visited the HR, she asked me how much I will be able to raise regarding the medical and visa expenses! My response was I can't. I am not able to get the money since I don’t have any source of income. The HR told me that the owners need their money for the expenses and they will do anything to make sure that they make hard times for me if I don’t pay them, claiming that the owner knows people in the immigration and will report me absconding. So, because they are holding my passport, I am afraid to go to the police or the labor department because I am just an ex-pat and they are Emiratis and I can not afford to proceed with any legal action against them.

Q: I joined a new company. Now one and a half months are finished but I’m not comfortable with this work. Can I resign and go back to the country?

Q: Hi, My visa was renewed four days ago in the same company. After the visa renewal, the company is demanding that I go to Saudi Arabia for a one-year project with a Saudi business visa. However, I do not want to go to Saudi Arabia. The company is giving me only one choice: either I go to Saudi Arabia or resign and pay the expenses of the visa renewal. 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.

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).