Q: Dear Madam, I have worked for a company in Dubai on an unlimited contract since April 2019. At the end of March, I was sent home to Europe by my employer for my annual leave for the month of April. I had a flight ticket to come back to Dubai on May 1st, which is now canceled by Emirates Airlines due to the COVID-19 pandemic. What are the consequences if I can not return back to Dubai for the month of May as planned? Will it be legal for them not to pay my May salary, since it was the company’s decision to send me to annual leave during that pandemic? Thank you for your advice!

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?

Q: Hello, I have been working in a local group in Dubai for the last 13 years under an unlimited contract. Recently, they have terminated my position, I am now serving 3 months notice period as per labor contract (2 months already served, I am now in the 3rd and last month). My employer has put me on a forced paid leave to adjust my notice period against leave days balance. I need some clarification of the below: 1. The employer is paying me a full salary for the notice period of 3 months. However, based on the recent announcement from the Ministry of Labor (for Private Co. employees), can my employer reduce my salary temporarily/permanently for this last month of notice period? 2. If the answer to question 1 is YES, how will it impact the calculation of my end of service benefits like gratuity or leave balance encashment? will it be recalculated based on the revised (reduced) salary? 3. Am I eligible to claim any other termination/redundancy pay apart from gratuity and leave balance encashment? Many Thanks!

Q: I've been working in a company in JLT under a limited contract for a year and a half. Due to the current pandemic, I was asked to sign a letter stating that I am going on unpaid leave for 5 months which I did not sign. I did explain via emails that I can not accept to live without any income for 5 months. I said that I accept salary deductions. I did not hear from them except that they are waiting for my signature for unpaid leave. I will most probably have to leave Dubai because I can not afford anymore to live here. What are my rights in this case? Can I resign because I haven't received a salary last month? Am I entitled to any end of service benefits in this case? Am I obligated to pay any penalty because I am resigning under a limited contract? What can I do if I don't hear from them by the end of this month or if I don't receive anything at the end of the month? Thank you!

Q: I worked in an LLC company for 1 year and 4 months. After completing one year, I haven’t taken any leave or encashment of my 30 days leave with full pay. During the Covid-19 pandemic, my employer reduced the salary without my approval, no contract was signed. There is no COVID impact in the client's place where I am working. They did not reduce my contract with my company while the employer still reduces it for 6 months. I have resigned now. My employer dictates the amount on the final settlement. Indirectly, his saying is if you don’t take any leave, I will pay the full amount of your leaves and if you left the company, I will pay only basic salary. Without a sign of approval, he reduced my salary. Kindly advise me!

This article discusses the Ministerial Resolution No. (279) of 2020 Regarding Employment Stability in the Private Sector during the Period of Application of Precautionary Measures to Curb the Spread of the Novel Coronavirus Issued by the Minister of Human Resources and Emiratization in Abu Dhabi on 26/3/2020.

As the world is currently experiencing a major lockdown and suspension of almost all commercial and civil operations, the question arises in the novelty of Coronavirus outbreak on how serious it is to be dealt with as a Force Majeure.

An interview-format article covering the topic of force majeure in the UAE, in light of COVID-19. This is from the legal podcast of lawyer Ludmila Yamalova, the founder of Lawgical with LYLAW.

An interview-format article covering the topic of employment issues and laws during COVID-19 in the UAE. This is from the legal podcast of lawyer Ludmila Yamalova, the founder of Lawgical with LYLAW.

An interview-format article covering the topic of COVID-19 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 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).