Questions & Answers
Questions & Answers
8 available 8 • View allThe right for annual leave
4
Q: I sent a formal email asking for 12 days annual leave and it was approved. On my last working day before my annual leave starts, the HR guy asked for me and we sat down and he told me that I am out of balance and that I owe them 14 days. I asked him to show me the annual leave forms that I have signed, and according to what I have signed, I only took 14 days in my second year so far with this employer.
My hiring date was in September 2015. He also told me that I have exceeded my balance during the first year and that I have to work until September 2017 with no right to book annual leaves. And that if I resigned or got terminated they are going to deduct those 14 days from my salary.
My question is: can my employer do what he has just done, deny me my annual leave at such a short notice, and can he deduct those 14 days from my salary? Is it my fault that they are not organised? And under what circumstances can I sue my employer with regards to the above?

Apr 22, 2017
1801
The right of an employee to be paid for unused annual leave
2
Q: I am aware that under the federal law no.8 of 1980, you can claim for normal wage+ allowance in lieu of leave if you work during your annual leave and it is not carried forward to the next year.
However, I would like to know what the success rate of this claim is, in person, if I contest it in the Dubai Courts.

Mar 12, 2019
5213
Labor rights for the annual leave

10
Q: My employer does not want to give me the annual leave and when I took one week off to go back to my home country since my mother passed away, he deducted the same from my salary and refused to give it to me.
I have been working for one year and 7 months with the same employer, I think I am entitled to more than one month. What can I do?


Apr 27, 2016
6458
Requesting staff to take unpaid leave as a result of Coronavirus outbreak

5
Q: Dubai companies are reassessing their staffing levels during the Covid 19 outbreak.
Is it legal to be asked to take unpaid leave?


Mar 24, 2020
1345
Forcing employees to take unpaid leaves due to COVID-19



0
Q: My company has placed all of the employees on unpaid leave due to the COVID-19 situation.
Can they legally do this without even paying our basic salary or expenses?




Apr 5, 2020
891
Are there any criteria of work necessities to skip the annual leave of employee?
0
Q: Article 78 of the UAE Labour Law states:
"The employee shall receive his basic pay in addition to housing allowance, if any, for the annual leave days. However, if the exigencies of work necessitate that the employee works during his annual leave in whole or in part, and the period of leave during which he has worked has not been carried forward to the next year, the employer ought to pay him his wage in addition to cash in lieu of leave for his working days based on his basic pay."
Are there specific criteria needed for exigency to be established?
E.g. in a professional service industry, will exigency only be established by the principal directly asking the employee to do that work during annual leave?
Or will exigency be established by an official deadline regardless of explicit instructions by the principal to do the work?
In the above scenario, the employee is the only person that may attend to the work and missing the official deadline will negatively affect the end client.

Jan 6, 2021
324
How is annual leave pay calculated under the new UAE labor law?
1
Q: Under the new UAE labor law, how is annual leave pay calculated? Based on only basic salary or full monthly salary?

Feb 10, 2022
326
Employer withholding annual leave after financial help given earlier. What to do?

1
Q: Dear Sir/Madam,
My employer offered me financial help in 2014, and he insisted on helping me even though I didn't ask for it.
Now that I have resigned and was about to take my annual leave from 2017 to 2023, he told me that we are even because he already gave me the money.
I didn't expect him to hold that help against me, and I am expecting my annual leave because I know it is required by law.
If I were to bring this to court, is there a possibility that I can win the case?
I hope to hear answers here.
Thank you!


Sep 28, 2023
114
Legal blog
1 available 1 • View allAn Overview of the New UAE Labor Law and Recent Amendments of 2024 233
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.
Sep 10, 2024
90432
Laws & Regulations
2 available 2 • View allFederal Law No. (8) of 1980 Concerning the Regulation of Labor Relations 53
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.
Apr 20, 1980
103606
Federal Decree-Law No. (33) of 2021 On the Regulation of Labor Relations 34
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).
Sep 20, 2021
26399

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451 451 answers •
View allAre there any restrictions on a diplomat buying property in the UAE? 0
Hello,
Is there any restriction on a diplomat buying property in the UAE, where he works as a diplomat at his country's consulate?
Feb 20, 2025
71
If someone has a case in the UAE, can they travel to another GCC country? 0
Hi.
One of my friends joined a Telegram group. They said, "We will transfer some amount to your account, and your task is to transfer this amount to another account. Once the task is completed, you will get 30 or 50 AED per task."
He completed 3 to 4 tasks, but he realized it was not good, so he stopped. After one week, when he opened his account, it was blocked, and the bank said, "We are conducting an investigation; after this, we will let you know."
After some days, he had an accident and went to his home country. He then received a call from a landline number, which was from the Abu Dhabi police station.
They said, "We have received a complaint against you; come to our investigation department." However, due to his surgery and treatment, he could not go.
After some time, his bank account was reopened, and he did not receive any further calls. I want to know, if he comes back to the UAE or goes to any other GCC country, will he face any problems?
If someone has a case in the UAE, can they travel to another GCC country?
Please advise!
Feb 17, 2025
140
What can I do if my employer refuses to pay me and I have no contract? 0
Hello,
What legal action can I take in case the employer refuses to pay my salary and I don't have a contract with them?
Feb 18, 2025
123
I want to open an online shop. Do I need a license to open an Etsy shop? 0
I currently live in Sharjah and have a UAE residence visa but I am not a UAE or GCC national. I want to open an online shop (Etsy or Shopify) to sell handmade items, such as crocheted goods, bookmarks, greeting cards, etc.
Do I need a license to open an Etsy shop?
If so, which license do I need to sell my products online, including UAE and worldwide?
How much would it cost me?
Can I keep my residence visa (sponsored by my father) and not change it?
Feb 14, 2025
122
How can we locate a person with an ongoing legal case? 0
Hello,
I am seeking your legal advice regarding a friend who was previously imprisoned in Abu Dhabi. His case there is now closed, but he has another ongoing case in Dubai.
Currently, we have lost contact with him and are unsure of his whereabouts. How can we check where he is or access any other legal facility?
Are there legal procedures to locate a person with an ongoing case?
What steps should we take to get more information about his status and legal position?
Feb 11, 2025
145
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