Q: Hi, I'm Sanu from Abu Dhabi, my job is medical coding. I need a clarification regarding joining the client of my employer. I have completed 3 years with my current employer (Billing Services DMCC, Dubai). My 3-year contract was expired and cancelled. Now one of my previous employer clients (a government hospital) is approaching me to join with them. I have already signed a non-competition agreement which has a clause - I cannot join my employer own client for 2 years. Please note, currently, the contract between my previous employer and this government hospital has been cancelled. Please advise is there any exception that I can join with own client as it is government sector? Is there a chance my previous employer can make a case against me? If they raise a case then how to survive?

Q: I have a non-competition agreement signed with my previous company. Based on that, I cannot work in the same field or anything related. I was an office assistant but I was given a title as sales so the agreement can be effective on me. I want to know, will that agreement get me into trouble if I work with a competitor?

Q: Good morning. An American company is working as an advisor for the Dubai government. The company has got employees to sign a non-competition clause document, prohibiting them from working for the same clients for a period of 1 year. Now, employees resigned and might work directly or indirectly with the same clients. The company is threatening to sue the former employees for non-compliance with that clause and make them obtain the company's legal authorization to do such work. Can you please advise the level of legality and also what is the appropriate next step?

Q: Dear Madam, I was previously working as a manager in a company providing auditing & accounting services. I had a non-compete clause inserted into my labour contract. Currently, I have joined a company with a similar practice at a lower salary and designation as I was not able to get a better opportunity. I have informed my previous company regarding the same and they want an email from me stating that I won't indulge in direct competition. Will sending out such a letter have any implication in future?

Q: Dear Sir, I worked as a site engineer in a landscaping company for about 3 years. Now, due to personal reasons, I have to quit the job (notice period given already) and move on to another competitive company. But in my contract, it has been mentioned that I cannot join in any other competitive companies. Please suggest to me if I can happily join another company as I have already given the notice period to my existing company or whether I might face any issues in future? Please reply urgently. Regards,

Q: Non-competency agreement. Is this applicable to nurses who basically practice general nursing care in a medical facility?

Q: Dear Sir/ Madam, I was offered to work in the construction field of industry. I was on an unlimited contract and my contract has a Non-Compete clause. On that, it mentioned the period of 1 year and location. My question is, my duties and work now are not related to the scope of work or industry of my visa. My job responsibility now is related to construction but on my contract, I am on a logistics company visa. This is because my employer has 3 companies under his sponsorship (construction/logistics/trading). Will I be liable if I resign and work for a construction company even though the Non-compete clause of my contract is for a Logistics Company? Regards, M.

Q: Warning to stop attempts to incite employees of the foreboding company to leave their work. I received the above legal notice from my ex-employer.

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.

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).