Q: I’m working in a semi-government company with an unlimited contract and three-year visa in Dubai where I have finished 4 years and 8 months with the company. When I signed the first contract, the notice period mentioned 2 months, but currently, I cannot serve the notice period of 2 months, and my new employer cannot wait that long. Is there something to resign immediately with 2-3 weeks of notice? What will happen if I’ll not come to work after the notice date which I have mentioned in resignation? Thanks in advance!

Q: Hi Maha, I am an employee with a private firm on an unlimited contract. I have resigned and my contract is for 60 days, however, I want to serve only 30 days due to other issues. The company force me to serve full 60 days contract. Can I use "compensation in lieu of notice" and pay for the 30 days notice or can the company (if they want) still put a one year ban on me? Regards

Q: I am an auditor employed by my current employer on an employment contract of unlimited duration. I have completed 3 years and 10 months of employment. Recently, I received a job offer from another company and I am eager to take it up. I resigned from the employment with my current employer and served them a notice period of 30 days and agreed to pay in lieu of another 30 days as my employment contract states 60 days' notice period if any of the parties intends to terminate it. My current employer accepted my resignation but has asked me to comply with the 60-day notice period mentioned in my employment contract. Can my current employer restrain me from leaving the employment prior to the completion of 60 days notice period?

Q: Hi Sir/Madam, I am working with an E-Commerce company. I gave a resignation letter to my company for one month's notice. But in my agreement, it is stated that: The Employee is required to give 60 days prior written notice to the Employer to terminate this Contract. In the event that Employee gives notice of resignation, this Contract will terminate (the "Termination Date") 60 days from the effective date of the resignation (the "Resignation Date"). From the time of notice until the Termination Date, Employee shall cooperate in all respects in providing transition services to the Company to a standard of professionalism appropriate to Employee's current position in the Company. The Company and Employee may, by mutual agreement, elect to make Termination Date effective at some time shorter than two months from the Resignation Date. Please, can you give some suggestions on how can I be released from my current company? Since it's an unlimited contract and I've been working with the company for 7+ years.

Q: Dear sir/madam, My contract doesn't state any notice period so I resigned from my work. I gave one month's notice. My employer says that I need to work an extra month and she has refused to cancel my visa. My new employer wants me to start working. What should I do?

Q: Dear Sir/Madam, I live in Dubai. I have been working for a private company in the UAE for the past 9 years. I want to resign from my job, and I have already sent a resignation email to my company with a 30-day notice period. However, my company is asking me to serve a 90-day notice period instead. How can I cancel the 90-day notice period? I have a limited contract with my company.

Q: Hi, My wife is currently working in a nursery under my visa as a Teacher's Assistant. I was suddenly relocated by my company to another emirate, and my wife and son will accompany me. She is under a labor contract with her company, and her Adek pass is under the company. She wishes to leave without notice because her position will not affect the activities of the school. However, her manager is requesting 3 months' notice or 3 months' salary before she can leave. I need advice on what to do next because this is not stated in her contract, and she is not a teacher who would need to pay such an amount. Will revoking the NOC I gave her to work solve the issue? I even offered for her to pay 1 month of her salary plus the labor contract money so we can relocate, but the manager is still refusing. What can I do? She needs to start another job when we move to another emirate, and Adek pass approval is required, so she needs cancellation from her current employer.

Q: Dear Lawyers, My notice period, as per my contract, is 2 months, but I have received a very good opportunity. I would like to serve a 1-month notice period instead. What can be done in this regard?

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.

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.

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).