Q: Dear Sir, I am working in a company as Manager and the limited contract would be expired on Dec 29, 2017. 10 days before, I received a notice from the employer that they are not interested to renew my contract, without stating a reason. After inquiry, they mentioned that it is due to the restructuring and not related to performance. Since I have a family and kids are going to school, we are under severe pressure. I am in a senior position and it would be difficult to find out a job in 45 days, which puts me and my family in severe mental trauma. Please let me know if I can request the company to renew my contract until I find a job with a minimum salary as maintenance allowance. I am in the UAE since last 11 years and this is the first situation where I am passing through. Please advice and let me know what are my rights. Thanks and regards.

Q: Labor Rights Query - Termination without a valid reason Dear Sir/Mam, I was recently terminated by my company where I had worked for 2 years and 8 months under renewed limited contract (2-year term). There was no sort of prior warning letter or verbal communication regarding the termination. I have my labour contract due until November 2019. The company handed me a renewal letter of our internal contract back on July 25th 2017, for a term period of 1 year. Also, the termination letter which was handed over to me on June 21st 2018 had stated “Non-Renewal of Contract”. The notice period was until 24th July 2018. Right now I am waiting for my visa cancellation paper & full final settlement papers to come. I wanted to know If I am eligible for three months compensation and other benefits under arbitrary termination provisions (if this case comes under that). Thanks & Regards Sujit

Q: I was on maternity leave. Upon the completion of maternity leave, I extended my leave which was approved by the management. Though I wished to join back after a month, due to the nature of work I was given a leave until the end of the school term ending in June which I consented to. My limited contract ends on 31 Aug 2018 and I have now received a notice for non-renewal of my employment contract. Is this legally binding?

When an employee or employer mentions legal issues related to their labour relationship, the first question to be raised is: do you have a limited or unlimited labour contract? We try here to shed light on the relevant provisions of the limited and unlimited contracts in the UAE labour law pertaining to resignation, termination of employment, notice period and calculation of the end of service benefits.

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.

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 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).