Q: I have been working under a probationary period and I didn't sign any contract with them. I didn't go to work for 24 days then my company decided to terminate me and hold my passport. I want to settle with them but I am tested positive for Covid 19. I went to DHA facilities. I can't talk to them personally but I'm sending emails to them about my situation. My question: it is legal that workers like me work with valid contracts? Can my employer hold my passport? Can I get anything from my company?

Q: Hi. I am here in the UAE on a visit visa. A company gave me an offer letter, but it's already 2 months since I'm working here and still, they did not process my employment visa. Now, my visit visa is going to expire soon. If they do not make my visa, can I file a case on the basis of offer letter? Where can I go for justice, and what do I have to do? Please advise me. Thanks

Q: I have joined a company which have provided me with a work visa, however, they have not yet shared the labour contract. When I try to check online I am unable to find details while entering my passport details. Could you please help? My offer letter says that I am on a six months probation period.

Q: Hi ma'am, A company has released an offer letter to me to work in Delhi for interior projects. I joined the organization in Delhi and worked on 1 project which is nearing completion and is in the handing-over stage. As there is no office in Delhi, I was working from home in Delhi. No joining formalities were made. As the situation was getting difficult day by day. I asked them to allow me to work from my home town (approx 3k KMs from Delhi), they said Ok but no work was assigned nor they were making my salary payment even for the month I worked at Delhi. To join this company, I have resigned from an organization where I served for 5 years 6 months. Please suggest the way forward to deal with this issue, please!

An interview-format article covering the topic of an employer demanding to hold an employees passport. This is from the legal podcast of lawyer Ludmila Yamalova, the founder of LAWGICAL with LYLAW.

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.

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).