Q: If we transfer an employee on secondment to the UAE from another country for a period of 3 years, do we have to pay gratuity as per UAE law? As per his contract in the country where he is transferred from, the company is liable to pay provident funds in the country. After spending 3 years, he will be transferred back. Is the company liable to pay gratuity? Kindly note that he is one of the executive cadre, not a workman.

Q: How to calculate gratuity in case of internal transfer if the EoSB wasn't paid during transfer but to be paid during employee resignation?

Q: Hello, I have been working with a free zone company for the past 4 years and as a part of rebadging, I am being transferred to another company. My current company is denying my gratuity stating that it has been transferred to the new company which I am going to join, however, my new company has clearly stated that no such agreement was made and my current company is responsible for paying my gratuity. Please let me know how can I proceed as my current company is not giving me my gratuity?

Q: I moved from the UAE to Germany under the same company after working 7 years in service in Dubai. Before I moved, I asked for my gratuity. The company refused because it seems that the gratuity is payable on termination only, not on transfer within the same company. The company asked me to sign a letter to waiver my gratuity in exchange for "years of seniority" in Germany of the same years that I served in Dubai. Did I make a mistake when I signed that letter? Is this normal? "Years of seniority" means nothing actually.

Q: I worked for a company for 2 years and 2 months. For 8 months, I worked remotely under a contract governed by UAE law. The contract explicitly stated: "This contract is governed by and shall be construed in accordance with the laws of the Emirate of Dubai and the United Arab Emirates." During this remote period, I accrued 25 days of vacation. After the remote work period, I relocated to Dubai with a new contract. This contract acknowledged my prior remote employment I worked onsite for the company for 18 months, after which they terminated my employment. Now, regarding my termination, I have two questions: 1. The company has mentioned that they will compensate me for the 25 days of vacation at the remote rate, considering that these vacation days were accrued during my remote work period. 2. They also informed me that I will not receive gratuity for the entire duration of my service but only for the onsite period (18 months) as I had two separate contracts. Is this legally valid?

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 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).

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.