Q: An employee (driver) in my company failed to report to work on the agreed date after his leave days, then the director had to hire a driver for two days. The employee never reported to work until now but the company had to pay to his account salary for two months. Now, the driver went to a lawyer and they are requesting severance fee, illegal termination fee and salary in lieu of notice. How is all this possible and yet the employee was not fired and he never called back? Kindly help

Q: A person e-mails his resignation and leaves for his country from Dubai a year before his 2-year contract ends, without paying the penalty and visa charges as written in the contract. Would he be considered an absconder? Would he have to face a lifetime ban?

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?

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).