Q: Hi, I have been working for a US company since Jan 1st, 2002. On Monday, 20th Jan 2020. I was given a letter of termination which only stated we are terminating your position. I was on a UK contract from 2002 to December 2018 and they forced me to move to a local Dubai contract, I’ve been employed in Jebel Ali Free Zone for the whole duration. I had no prior warning of this, but I was asked to leave immediately and hand in my company laptop and take a 30-day garden leave. I was also given 60 additional days as an ex gratia payment. I have received the final settlement calculations which include gratuity. My question is, is this the correct procedure that should be followed? When are they entitled to cancel my visa? Is it after 30 days or after 90 days? My visa expires on 20th Feb so it looks like this was planned. However, am I entitled to ask them to renew my visa for the full 90 day period? And when do they legally have to pay my end of service benefits?

Q: Hi Anitha My contract was terminated not for work-related issues on my part and was given the 60 days notice as per the contract. My question is, does this termination constitute arbitrary termination against the law? And if this is the case, will I be entitled to a minimum of three months pay?

Q: I have a Dubai free zone visa, I got termination from the company without proper reason. The company gave me 30 days' notice period, where do I have to complain? Can they withdraw termination?

Q: Dear sir/madam, I was working for a private company for more than 10 years and I didn't receive any warning letter but I received a termination letter on 14th Nov 2022 after I completed the annual vacation (approved leave from Nov 3 to 13th Nov 2022). The termination letter didn't mention any resignation. It just mentioned that: "your employment has been terminated immediately". After that, I visited our office to discuss it but HR said: "you support another company that's why we terminated you", but I informed him that I didn't support any company and asked him to show me the proof but he ignored to discuss with me. After 10 days, there was no response from the company so I filed a complaint to MOHRE to get my leave salary and end of service. Now the case is forwarded to the court and the first trial date is 15th, Nov. Please advise! May the company refuse to pay? Thank you!

An interview-format article covering the topic of employment termination without a valid reason in the UAE. This is from the legal podcast of lawyer Ludmila Yamalova, the founder of Lawgical with LYLAW. Ludmila discusses the aspects of termination, like notice periods, end of service benefits, arbitrary dismissal, unpaid salaries etc.

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 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.

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).