Q: I am a manager in a UAE company, I have served 2 years on an unlimited contract. I have been instructed I am on unpaid leave for a 3-month period in light of the current situation. The company is asking me to sign an annexe to my contract that I accept this unpaid leave period. If I do accept, can I still resign during this 3-month unpaid leave period if I get another job?

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

Q: I am working in a company which is registered in Creative City Fujairah Freezone. Last month, our employer sends us on unpaid leave from April to September. He said he will provide tickets to return back to my country but suddenly the lockdown was imposed. I didn't sign any extra document and this discussion happened on Whatsapp. On May, I asked for the accommodation cost but he said he won't pay anything, not even for the food and for the rent which I have to pay. I am now helpless, I don't have money to survive here. Isn't he responsible for the rent and food cost until I leave the UAE? Please guide.

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!

Q: Hi. Due to the COVID-19 crisis, I have been on unpaid leave since 14th March. I received half a salary for March and nothing since. The unpaid leave was not mutually agreed and didn't sign any document to say that I agreed. The company basically just shut the office doors to all staff. However, when on the MOHRE app in the WPS section, it says I have 0 payment pending for April and May. Is there any way my employer would have been able to adjust my salary to 0 with the MOL without my consent? Thanks

Q: Greetings Sir, I have been working in a company in Dubai for 6.5 years starting in 2015. I came for annual leave to my home country in Feb '22 for 1 month. Later my company asked me to extend my leave (unpaid) for 2 months. Thereafter, due to poor financial conditions and ill health, I resigned from my job while staying outside the UAE and directly resigned over email without serving any notice period. Since I was already sent for unpaid long leave, and I resigned due to the above circumstances, will I be eligible for the end-of-service gratuity? Thanks in advance A.

Q: My salaries are not paid for 8 & 1/2 months, and for the past 6 months, my company kept me on unpaid leave. I have resigned with one month's notice. My total dues shall be over 300K. The company says they can pay a maximum of 8 salaries in 8 months. I am planning to file a labor complaint at the end of the notice period. Please advise how I can get my dues and what is the court procedures, I don't have any amount to survive with my family here. We all are suffering badly from huge debts.

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.

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).