Q: Good morning, I am writing to inquire regarding the non-compete clause. I just resigned from my previous company. I worked as admin staff and I did not have any supervisory roles, nor handle any financial responsibilities. I work for a mainland company in Dubai. Recently, I received a job offer from a competitor to do the same role. The competitor is DMCC and I will be under a Freezone visa. My employment entry permit has already been issued and I am just waiting for my residence visa to be printed. My previous employer threatened me that they will sue me because I signed a non-compete clause with them that should be effective for two years after I resigned. I am wondering if the non-compete restriction will apply to me given that I will be joining a Freezone company this time? I held a non-supervisory/admin level position in my previous company.

Q: I have been working at a company for nearly 3 years under an unlimited labor contract as a Software Engineer, but the labor contract states that I am working in sales. The contract states that I am not allowed to work for a competitor for a period of 2 years in the UAE. I have got a job offer from a competitor with almost double the salary. The job offer is as a Software engineer. Will the non-compete clause be valid keeping in mind that the new job does not match my labor contract role? If yes, can the old employer prevent me (ban) from moving to the new role and can they file a law case?

Q: Hi, I am working for a company in the Media City as a developer and I have a non-compete clause in my contract. I want to join a competitor who is also in Dubai but because of this non-compete clause, I cannot join the competitor. Is there any way to leave my current company and join the competitor?

Q: I recently joined a new organization in the Hamriyah Free Zone, and my previous organization has not released my end-of-service benefits. The HR has instructed the finance team not to do so because I had contacted one of their clients. In my DMCC contract, there is no Non-Compete clause, but the offer letter has one, and now they are not releasing the end-of-service. Is this legal? What are my rights?

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).