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: Good morning! I have an offer letter (from my previous company) and a labour contract (MOHRE) which has different content. In the offer letter which was previously signed, we have a non-competition clause. In the contract from MOHRE which was signed after two weeks, it is not stated that we are not allowed to transfer to a competitor. Should the offer letter be void as per Chapter 1, Article 7 of UAE Labor Law? The letter is written purely in English, does this have an effect to consider it void? Only the contract from MOHRE has the Arabic language. Article 2 Arabic shall be the language to be used in all records, contracts, files, data, etc. provided for in this Law or in any orders or regulations issued in implementation thereof. Arabic shall also be used in instructions and circulars issued to employees by their employer. Where the employer besides Arabic uses a foreign language, the Arabic version shall prevail. Thank you very much. Hope to hear from you soon.

Q: My previous company is claiming that I broke the non-compete clause even though I am working in a completely different field.

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).