Q: My associate was working as CEO (employee) in an entity in Sharjah. The owner has left the country with unsettled bank loans. (1) Can the Bank put the CEO in jail charging him that he was operationally responsible for the bank borrowings? (2) What defence my associate can get from the UAE Law?

Q: Assalamu alaikum, My name is Mohammed Yaseen. My concern is that my previous employer was supposed to pay me AED 3700 of my salary which is pending for one year, and I have been asking him for 6 months. Actually, he was supposed to pay me AED 11700 after the cancellation of my contract, after cancellation he paid me AED 8000 but AED 3700 is still pending. I couldn't do anything before the cancellation because I had to move to another company as the other company will not wait for me. So, on a mutual understanding, I cancelled the contract. He also committed as documented in my official email address that he will pay me all amount, but now he isn't receiving my calls. I have the email, WhatsApp messages...etc as a proof. What can I do now to get my money back? Please suggest. I lost my patience, since 6 months I have been asking him. Please help. Appreciate any help provided. Regards, Mohammed Yaseen Ahmed

Q: Dear Sir, I have worked March 2008 to July 2011 in Mushrif National Construction LLC Central Market Project Souk - Abu Dhabi. My job designation was IT Assitant, my salary was Dhs 3200/- per month. Also, they have provided yearly two-way tickets and leave salary benefits. In July 2011 I went to India for long leave. The company terminated me on January 31, 2012. After that, they calculated my indemnity money Dhs 6044/-. Partly they have sent my pending salaries and my indemnity money, they have sent only Dhs 2000/- till now. They did not pay my balance indemnity money Dhs 4044/-. I have sent a lot of emails and mobile calls with no response from Mushrif National Construction LLC. Kindly please help.

Q: I was working with a company since 02 August 2007. In November 2016 onwards, there was a new management who took over the department which I was working. So I was asked to give all the support to the new management. But again, in July 2018, due to some management issue, the old management came into power and they terminated all the staff who have been newly appointed by the new management and asked me also to resign or they will terminate me too. On 26 July 2018, I gave resignation and asked the management to give me a one month time to finish and hand over all my work to a new person. They agreed on 26 July that my final day will be 19 August 2018. On Sunday, 29 July 2018, when I came to office, I found my office closed and my pc removed. I checked with the other legal person at the company and he informed me that as per the chairman, I should leave the company immediately and they will take care of the pending work themselves. Till now, they have not paid my July salary nor cancelled my visa and settled my EOSB.

Q: Hi, My company decided to sell it to a different owner, they said it's up to us if we want to stay on our job. If we choose to stay, they will cancel our visa and the new owner will process a new visa but we will pay all the expenses for processing a visa, Emirates ID and medical...etc. So I volunteered not to continue working with them. I have been with the company for 7 months. They give us a notice a month ago. Am I capable to get compensation from our previous company? Please let me know, as I'll be jobless soon. Hoping for your kind advice so I know my rights.

Q: In Jan 2019, a part-owner joined our company. My gratuity was paid and I received a new appointment letter, mentioning that I'm continuing with the new management with a lower salary and a 6 months probationary period. But, my labour contract with JAFZA was not cancelled. On my 6th month (182nd day), I received the non-confirmation letter through email. They said that they will give an extension of 1 one month, but I have to request. I did request through email then they replied that the same was treated as my resignation. On my LWD (7th months), my manager told me to continue, so I thought I was going to be retained. But after a week, she sent me an email stating that the company just gave me 1 more month and that they have to discontinue my services due to the change in our department. Hence, I worked for another 1 month. Can I claim arbitrary dismissal in this case? Also, since the previous owner paid the gratuity and leave salary only up to Jan 2019, can I also claim for same from Jan 2019 up to my LWD?

Q: An employee, after receiving his dues from the labor court, is again making false allegations that he didn't sign a contract for salary reduction and has now approached the police and filed a criminal case against the Employer. During the labor court investigation, the documents were sent to a crime lab for checking forgery, but the employee didn't go to the investigation officer and he was fined by the labor court for malicious allegations. The labor case is closed and the employee labor card is canceled by the labor ministry. He now went and made a false complaint at the police station on the same topic that he didn't sign contract papers. Please advise, as an honest employer, How can I protect myself from these false allegations by the staff?

An interview-format article covering the topic of filing an employment court case in the UAE. This is from the legal podcast of lawyer Ludmila Yamalova, the founder of Lawgical with LYLAW.

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.

The provisions of this Law apply to the commercial companies established in the UAE and the foreign companies that have established in the UAE a base to conduct any activity therein or established a branch or representative office. The Law abrogates Federal Law No. (8) of 1984 Concerning Commercial Companies.

This Law applies to merchants, as well as to all acts of commerce carried out in the UAE by any person even though he be not a trader. Commercial matters regarding which specific Federal laws are issued shall be subject to the provisions of such laws, and to the provisions hereof which do not contradict with said laws.

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).