I recently joined a new organization in the Hamriyah Free Zone, and my previous organization has not released my end-of-service benefits. The HR has instructed the finance team not to do so because I had contacted one of their clients. In my DMCC contract, there is no Non-Compete clause, but the offer letter has one, and now they are not releasing the end-of-service. Is this legal? What are my rights?

Hello, I have multiple cheque execution cases filed against me due to financial strains last year. My trade license and visa will expire next month, along with my Emirates ID. Is it possible for me to renew my license and visa along with EID prior to settling the execution cases? The trade license and visa were issued by the free zone authority. I look forward to your response. Thanks.

Dear Legal Advice Middle East, I hope you are well. I am seeking legal advice regarding an unpaid salary issue with my former employer, [-----]2 LLC. I was employed with them from December 4, 2024, to January 7, 2025, on a monthly salary of 5,000 AED. However, I only received a partial payment of 2,473 AED on February 24, 2025. The remaining 2,527 AED is still unpaid. I submitted a complaint to MOHRE on March 2, 2025, but I am unable to proceed further through their official channels. This is because I was working under the visa of my previous employer, [---] LLC, and not under [----]’s sponsorship. As a result, I do not meet the criteria to file a labor complaint via the MOHRE app or hotline. Given this situation, I would appreciate your guidance on how I can legally pursue the recovery of my remaining salary, considering the complications related to my visa status during the employment.

Hello, Does the initiation of an online rental dispute case by a landlord in Dubai automatically lead to the imposition of a travel ban on the tenant? This is not related to bounced cheques; the dispute concerns wear and tear versus damage claims by the landlord.

We received a cheque which has now bounced. We have tried for over a month and a half now to get a new cheque from the person, and every day he says the next day. We need the money now. We have been to the police station, and they said they can not do anything as the reason the cheque bounced is "Insufficient funds." We have been to Al Barsha - Dubai Courts, and they said there is nothing they can do about it. We are not sure what we can do. We need the money asap to pay our kids' school fees, let alone all the interest we have lost.

Hi Ms. Jennifer, My friend in Dubai opened her dance studio in Karama & requested me to give her 4 cheques in my name as they had some issues opening an account. She assured me that every alternative month before the due date of the cheque she would deposit the said amount in my account. The 1st cheque was on 10 Nov 2022, for which she put the amount in my account. On 10 Jan 2023 was the 2nd cheque & this time she did not put the money in my account, I borrowed money from my known sources to avoid the cheque bounce case. It has been 13 days now & she has still not deposited my money in the account. How can I get out of this situation? I want to take back my 2 pending cheques from the landlord as the class does not belong to me, I just helped on humanitarian grounds & this is what I got in return. I have been messaging her pleading with her to deposit the money in my account but she has been giving me excuses. Please guide & help me.

Dear sir/madam, I am planning to start a new business in the UAE. I left my old office and planning to go for the registration of a new license. Is there any legal issue to start a business? And can I approach my existing clients for the new business?

Dear sir/madam, Can a landlord refuse to return the remaining rental cheques if the tenancy agreement has been terminated earlier with proper notice in place? I am vacating a quarter earlier, but the landlord refuses to return the 4th quarter cheque until I vacate the premises and he makes post-inspection despite having a separate security deposit amount in place.

Hi, I was laid off in June 2020 during COVID19 and had credit cards in several banks. I had to leave the country but was still paying the banks up until September 2021. So I was getting calls from the bank, and the last one was maybe in December 2021. A new law came into effect this January, so the cheque bounce was decriminalized but the civil case is still there and a new option of some kind of execution is also there now. I don't know if I got any cheque bounce, do I get a notification on my email or SMS on my mobile? (My mobile is still active and I am outside of Dubai since then). Also, want to ask- under the new rule does the execution smth can lead to imprisonment and/or a travel ban? And if yes then for how long? Will I be able to come to Dubai and find a job if the execution case is there? Thank you

Hi, I have a query regarding a contract renewal. I have given notice by the notary public to my tenant to vacate my apartment. He is not agreeing on terms and conditions and is asking to have the same terms and conditions as the previous year's contract, for which I said that I will not sign the contract which contains renewal terms and conditions. (I told him 90 days before the current contract expiry date that I am not willing to renew and I will give the notice to vacate). So if I do not sign the contract and it gets renewed automatically, can my tenant challenge the notice by a notary public at the time of vacating the apartment? Thank you!