Q: Hi. I have been promoted from Coordinator role to Manager role in February 2017. In these months I have never received any complaint from my manager regarding my performance, no any written notice or warning. A month ago, my manager said that she thinks I have some communication problem, and I cannot work under stress. For that reason, my manager wants to demote me and cut my salary. It has been said in the email without any clarification. Next day, she called me for a meeting to offer me Support position and said that my salary will be decreased by 35%. I agreed verbally, as I have been scared to lose the job if I do not take this offer. There hasn't been any notification in writing provided to me. Now, I have to renew my visa as my company will cancel my old visa to apply for a new one, and I will be requested to sign the letter with the demotion. I don't want to do this, as I think it is illegal. May you please advise what will happen if I refuse to sign that paper and if they will terminate me because of it. Thanks. Tatiana.

Q: The company I have worked at for over 3 years terminated my contract alleging that the company forecast is not famous, as the clients are not awarding us new jobs. The reason is not related to my work nor my performance. Never had any negative feedback nor complaints whatsoever from the company. In your opinion, can my dismissal be considered arbitrary?

Q: I work for the Ministry of Education and my wife works for Etihad Airways. I get a housing and my wife received a housing allowance from her company. We recently applied for a bigger apartment at my company. I received an email yesterday saying that we have to evacuate our apartment because I am not eligible for the housing anymore as she receives an allowance from Etihad. Etihad Airways HR told us that this only applies if I work for Etihad as well. My company says they are government and therefore I am not allowed to get an allowance. I researched and found out that Etihad is government owned but not funded or operated. How should I approach this and can they just kick me out on the street with a pregnant wife and an 18-month-old baby? I felt that the email was sent in a threatening way.

An interview-format article covering the topic of employment contracts in the UAE. This is from the legal podcast of lawyer Ludmila Yamalova, the founder of Lawgical with LYLAW. Ludmila discusses the aspects of limited and unlimited contracts, like the end of service, notice, arbitrary dismissal...etc.

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.

This Decree sets the rules and conditions for the termination of fixed-term (limited) or unlimited (not term-bound) employment contract between employer and worker in the United Arab Emirates.

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).