Q: Hello Sir, I have received an offer letter from a non-profit organisation in Abu Dhabi, UAE working with the UAE government for environment conservation. They are offering a 12 months limited contract and I will need to reimburse them for visa, medical and medical insurance costs if I resign before the contract expiry, even if I serve a one-month notice. My questions are: 1. Being a government entity, are they legally permitted to demand/deduct visa, medical and insurance costs from an employee? I know the labour law prohibits it. 2. I am expecting another job offer in 2-3 days time but this organisation wants me to respond to the offer ASAP. If I accept this offer now (dont submit any ID/ passport documents), can I inform them afterwards that I am not going forward with this offer? Are there any legal implications?

Q: Hi, In my offer letter, which I signed, it is written that the visa cost of AED 5000 will be incurred if the employee leaves before visa expiration. After 6 months, I have given resignation with two months’ notice period according to my unlimited term employment contract. Do I have to give AED 5000 as a visa penalty? My boss says that he won’t accept my resignation until I pay the company 5000 AED. It has been 16 days since he didn't accept my resignation. He is forcing me to give 5000 AED and threatened to ban me if I do not pay. Can I go to MOHRE? If I launch a complaint to MOHRE and the matter is still not resolved and it is referred to the court, do I have to hire a lawyer then?

Q: Hi, One of my employees, who has been with us for the past 2 years and 4 months, decided to resign. The thing is we have just renewed her visa and it has only been 4 months. I know we cannot legally ask her to recover the visa cost, but is there a way we can make up for that loss?

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).