Q: Hi. I am working in Umm Al Quwain as a sales assistant, and I hold JAFZA visa. I joined one month ago now I have resigned. The company is telling me that my notice period is 90 days. I am still in probation period, and the offer letter which I have received states that the notice period is 30 days. Please help.

Q: Hi, I am an employee in the probation period. The company is based in a free zone. I want to resign and apply to my own company based in Sharjah free zone. Can you tell me if I could be banned to apply for a visa to my own company? Can I resign without a notice period? What is the risk? Thanks in advance for your help.

Q: Hi, I joined a company in Dubai free zone 3 months ago with unlimited contract and a probation period of 6 months. My current situation is that I am not comfortable with my current employer and want to come back to my home country. I have handled my resignation letter 10 days ago. My visa is still in the process of making and I have not got my passport back yet. The company does not want me to leave and now requires me to pay 30000 AED without giving any explanation. Could you please let me know if Free Zone Labor Law allows a company to charge employee resigning from work during probation period? What is the process of resignation from here? When should company return my passport? Regards, Karolis Griskevicius

Q: Hi, I am working in Dubai under an unlimited contract. As per the labour contract, the probation period is 6 months and I resigned from the company in Jan. The notice period is 3 months from both parties but I am not sure if resigning during the probation requires this notice period of 3 months. Please advise if they have any right to hold my salary in case I resign and leave the company.

س: السلام عليكم، عملت في فندق وقدمت استقالتي قبل إنهاء فترة الاختبار التي تتضمن 6 أشهر، لأنني لم أعد قادرة على تحمُّل المناوبات الليلية. يطلب الفندق مني الدفع. هل هذا قانوني؟

Q: I wish to resign during my probation. I am not the right fit for the company, and my job responsibilities and scope have massively changed since my boss was fired. I have been expected to just step in with no support, no additional resources and no change to my contract, job description or remuneration. My calls to my HR Director go unanswered so I have emailed my resignation today. He has replied saying he cannot accept an email. I will have a meeting with him tomorrow to confirm my resignation. 1. Can they refuse to accept my resignation? 2. Do I need to give notice? I will offer a week's transition to ensure a professional handover but I have read that the Labor Law states one month despite the fact they could fire me without notice. 3. Could I face a labor ban? I am on an unlimited contract. I hold a degree and will be moving my visa to a Freezone. Many thanks!

Q: Hi, I joined a company one week back, and as per my employment contract, it is clearly stated that both parties can terminate this contract anytime without any notice. However, I have resigned and the company is not accepting /replying to my email, and they're asking me to pay compensation or serve the notice period. Is there something that the company can demand? Because in the contract, nothing is mentioned on the same.

Q: I have been working in a hospital for 5 months when I submitted my resignation. I am a laboratory professional but my visa is archive clerk. My contract states I (may) work under 6 months probation period and states that the notice period is 3 months when either party terminates the contract. My question is I am still in the probation period, does this notice still applies? I tried to compensate for my remaining notice but they said they are currently not accepting it because there is no applicant but they are not posting their vacancy. Is there anything I can do to lessen my notice period? Thank you.

Q: Good morning. My sister joined a company 2 weeks before her visit visa expired. Her company delayed processing her visa until she got overstay fines. The company now suggested she pays for the fines before they issue her employment visa. She didn't have money and requested for the overstay fine to be deducted from her salary because she wants to work. The company made her sign an agreement paper stating AED 6000 will be deducted from her salary as overstay fines. The company is deducting this cash monthly alongside a deduction because of COVID-19. But for two months now, they didn't pay her salary. Every time she requested the salary, she is not given it. Now she stops working and wants to be paid before she starts working again. She is still in her probation period and wants to request termination because the company is not terminating her. Would she have any ban if she requested termination during this probation period or if the company decided to terminate her?

Q: Hi Sir, Is it possible to resign before the probation period ends? How many days are to be served as a notice period? Which article in the labor law mentioned all these queries? Kindly advise

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).