Q: Hi, I live in Australia and was wondering how I can find out if my cousin who is originally from Lebanon, has been blacklisted in the UAE for absconding from his employment? Also, I was wondering if his power of attorney who is not in the UAE can find out if there are any court cases against my cousin without having to travel to the UAE?

Q: In 2013, I was working in the UAE on an employment visa. I had to return back to India in short time with the intention of joining back in a week's time but the situation didn't permit. Hence, my visa was not cancelled. I also had a horrible employer and they used to deduct money from my salary for mistakes that happened or losses that occurred to the company because of my negligence. That way I had AED 600 due to them. I don't know whether they have put any ban on me or whether they reported me as absconding or if any other charges have been framed against me. Just when I informed them that I am not joining back, they sent an email asking me to send my passport for cancellation and pay AED 600. However, I couldn't trust sending the passport by courier for visa cancellation. Now, I would like to travel on a visit visa to Dubai with my family. It's been more than 4 years now but I am afraid if there is any kind of case filed against me then I will be detained at the airport or will be asked to pay a heavy fine.

Q: I was working in a company for around 3.5 years in Dubai in the position of Estimation Engineer. On 22-01-2019, I submitted my resignation to the company with one month period till 21-02-2019. On 12-02-2019, the company didn't allow me to enter the office to work and they told me the company will cancel my visa and settle my outstanding within 2 days. However, in between, I have sent an email to the company twice and called the HR but they didn't respond and they are not giving me my passport. I have filed a labour case against the company due to not cancelling my visa and I have got the date of 7th April 19 for the labour court case. Subsequently, the company has filed a criminal case against me for copying data from the company system. I visited the police station last week and they recorded my statement. I want to know, can I get my visa cancellation from the labour court in the presence of the criminal case so that I can cover my ongoing loan in the UAE and family liability?

س: السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته، أستاذ محمد بخيت، لدي استفسار يتعلق ببلاغ هروب؛ حيث تقدمت بالاستقالة لشركة في دبي في شهر ٩ عام ٢٠١٩ وأعطتني الشركة مهلة لنهاية سنة ٢٠١٩ لتحويل إقامتي إلى كفيل آخر. لم أحصل على وظيفة ولم أستطع نقل الكفالة. قامت الشركة بفتح بلاغ هروب ضدي في شهر ٢ سنة ٢٠٢٠. كيف يمكنني إلغاء بلاغ الهروب؟

س: أعمل سائقًا بأجرة الشارقة. أُوقفت عن العمل بسبب مشادة كلامية مع موظف، وبعد فترة شهرين، اتصلوا بي وأخذوا أقوالي وأفادوني بأنهم سيتصلوا بي هاتفيًا ولم يفعلوا. بعد فترة 6 أشهر، ذهبت للشركة لتقديم استقالتي وأفادني الموظف بأنني أُوقفت عن العمل وطلبوا مني مبلغ 6000 درهم رسوم الإقامة واستخراج رخصة قيادة. وبعد فترة أبلغت الشركة بعدم قدرتي على دفع المبلغ، لكن يوم إلغاء الإقامة وقبل أسبوع، ذهبت لمراجعة الشركة وأبلغوني بأن الشركة اتخذت إجراءات وفتحت بلاغ هروب من الكفيل علمًا بأنني أذهب للشركة كل شهر للمراجعة ولم يخطرني أحد إلا بعد أن ذهبت لمقر الشركة. ماذا أفعل؟ أرجو إفادتي!

Q: My employee cancelled her labour card but now she ran away because she doesn't want to cancel her visa and children visa now. What should I do according to UAE law?

Q: There is an absconding case against me by my former company because I have some pending money to pay them after calculating my final settlement. As per the current situation, I couldn’t pay it. And without their agreement, I can’t close the case as well. I do not like to be banned from the UAE.

س: تم إنهاء عمل والدي في الشركة التي كان يعمل بها. طُلب من الوالد إنهاء إقامته وإقامة أبنائه ففعل ذلك ليُفاجأ بالصدفة بوجود تعميم بذريعة الهروب مع العلم أن الوالد موجود بالدولة ولم يغادرها وجواز سفره محجوز لدى الشركة نفسها. هناك خطاب فصل من العمل من الشركة وأيضًا لم يتم تسليم الوالد مستحقات إنهاء الخدمة ونتيجة لذلك تدهورت أحوالنا المادية والاجتماعية والنفسية وأيضًا تدهورت حالة الوالد صحيًا ولم يعد قادرًا على الحركة كما السابق. في ظل هذه الحالة، ما الإجراءات التي يجب علينا أن نتبعها لرفع هذا التعميم والتعويض عما تسبب به هذا التعميم الكيدي من أضرار مادية وصحية ونفسية؟ شكرًا جزيلاً!

Q: I was working with a company and it was closed without giving us any notice or document. I’m still under their visa and it’s gonna expire next month. So I contacted the ministry of labor to ask for their help and get the cancellation paper because the company closed and all the contact numbers not working. Then the labor sent me a cancellation paper asking me to take it to immigration and get the cancellation. When I went to the immigration, they said I have an absconding case. But I’m still on the company visa and they are the one closed everything without informing us. What can I do to this case and how to remove absconding from my side because I didn’t do anything wrong?

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).