Q: I worked for a Federal Government entity in the UAE; this entity was created by special decree so it doesn’t have a normal trade license or Labour contracts from MOL. Instead, we have signed employment contract which states it is governed by Labour Law of 1980, other federal laws and will be in the jurisdiction of Abu Dhabi. My employment visa is from the emirate of Dubai as the entity also had a branch in Dubai. I recently resigned from my job serving 3-month notice as mandated by the HR policy. My resignation got accepted within a day and I was advised that this day would be last working day, and my notice period has been waived off. I was just short by 15 days in completing 3 years of my service, and I had planned by cash flows assuming I would be getting paid for the next 3 months. Now, I am in a very bad situation as the employer is insisting I am not legally entitled to 3 months pay. I need your urgent advice on the matter as the Labour Ministry cannot get involved due to the absence of labour contract.

Q: Dear Sir, My name is S. Mohamed Raazith. I have been working in Abu Dhabi for the past 1 year and 7 months, my visa is on an unlimited contract and my notice period is 1 month. I got another offer from a company which is also in Abu Dhabi. I submitted my resignation on September 4, 2018. Now, my company is saying that I need to wait until a replacement comes or complete the contract and go like that. If I go to the Indian Consulate in Abu Dhabi, will they help? I need to join my new company as soon as possible. Please advise me.

س: أنا صاحب عمل ولدي عامل تقدَّم بالاستقالة ولم يلتزم بفترة الشهر الإنذار وداوم 14 يوم فقط من شهر الإنذار. عند تقديم شكوى ضد العامل، قال المستشار القانوي الذي اجتمعنا معه أنه لا توجد مشكلة ويرجع العامل لإكمال الشهر! هل يجوز ذلك بعد إخلاله بالعقد؟ وما الحق الذي ينص عليه القانون لصالحي؟

Q: I was working as a Sales Manager in an LLC Organisation for the past 22 years. I was made redundant in Mar 2020. Kindly help me with my three queries/doubts, please. 1. The 'Unlimited Term Employment Contract' dated 13 August 2017 mentions 2 months prior notice period. The renewed contract shows 1-month notice, which I didn't check during signing the renewal document. Is it right for an organization to change this? 2. What are my entitlements, please? 3. If I had been deprived/cheated, can I still approach for my rightful entitlement, if any? Thanking you in advance.

Q: I had a contract for 2 years and I was happily working in my organization, then surprisingly, my employer decided not to renew my contract 10 days before the end of the contract. Is that legal? It is an insufficient notice period.

Q: Good Day! I want to know the notice period we could ask the employee to serve in limited and unlimited contracts on resignation and termination.

س: هل يمكن استخدام رصيد الإجازات في حالة الاستقالة؟ بمعنى إذا تقدَّم الموظف باستقالته ولا يريد قضاء شهر فترة الإنذار، فهل يجوز استخدام رصيد الإجازات باعتباره بديلاً عن فترة الإنذار ولا يعمل؟

Q: Dear Sir/Madam, I was terminated and provided with a three-month notice period in accordance with my employment contract. However, the contract is fixed-term (following a switch from an unlimited-term contract) and the termination occurs before the end of this contract's two-year term. I would like to inquire whether I am entitled to compensation equivalent to three months' salary, as I have read in the federal labor law. Additionally, the termination letter did not specify the reason for my termination. Thanks a lot!

Q: Dear Sir/Madam, I work in a semi-government company in the UAE for over 15 years. I resigned last month, and my notice period is three months. If I do not perform the handover, can they extend my notice period? Are there any penalties for not performing the handover?

Three new ministerial decrees containing a new set of rules for the labour market were issued by the UAE Ministry of Labour last year and came into force on the 1st of January this year. The decrees are expected to alter the contractual relationship between employers and workers in the UAE.

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.

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).