Questions & Answers
Questions & Answers
8 available 8 • View allArbitrary termination of a labor contract
0
Q: My 2-year limited term contract in Dubai was terminated after 4 months due to my company downsizing; am I entitled to "without cause" termination compensation as per Federal Labour Law article 115?
My former employer says "no" as they had not managed to finalise my work visa, however, I cannot see that this is relevant as there was a UAE employment contract in place.

Dec 25, 2016
1003
What to do if your company forces you to submit your resignation
7
Q: Hello & Ramadan Kareem,
I'm working in JAFZA (Jebel Ali Free Zone) as a Regional Manager on a limited contract ending in 2019. I shall be completing 1 year on 16 June 2017.
My Management is pressuring me to submit my resignation (with a 30-days notice i.e. defined in their offer letter) as they say I have not delivered the annual sales targets. Since I refused, the HR Manager called & threatened me with "consequences". My JAFZA contract clearly mentions 90 days notice period.
Now they say that if I resign, they can offer me 90 days compensation with no gratuity & other benefits.
Could you please advise, what should I do?

Jun 13, 2017
3833
Claiming benefits for termination without a valid reason
9
Q: I am working in the HR department in one of the private companies for the last 12 years. Last week I received a redundancy letter from the HR manager terminating me for reducing people.
However, the actual reason is something else. I have sent an email to our company helpline on the HR manager and complained about him, and he came to know that I have sent an email to the senior manager.
It was only me who got this letter from the HR department. Now, they got a replacement for my position.
Can I file a complaint against the company in the labour court?
Please advise.

Jan 7, 2018
5799
Filing a case against the employer for arbitrary dismissal 
0
Q: Is it possible if I file a complaint against my employer to go outside the country even for only one month?
I will file arbitrary dismissal because they terminated me for no reason.

May 24, 2018
4634
Rights of the employee upon termination without a valid reason
4
Q: Sir,
What are my rights (terminal benefits) when terminated from employment as the company does not require my service?
There are no negative records in my service period and the company is now trying to reduce the cost as they have fewer jobs than expected.
I have worked for 2 years and 4 months (stamped second visa).
How will it be if termination with immediate effect and/or immediate termination with the salary in lieu of one-month notice?

Sep 26, 2018
997
Entitlements of the employee upon termination for redundancy
1
Q: My brother was terminated yesterday and the reason is to reduce employees upon instructions from our UK office.
He’s with the company for 3.9 years under unlimited contract and given the 30 days notice on 30.05.2019.
Is he entitled for 3 months salary compensation as per arbitrary dismissal/termination not related to performance?
He was advised verbally about this instruction and he was chosen. We would like to know his full benefits and rights, please.
Thank you in advance.

Jul 7, 2019
532
Harassment by the employer for submitting maternity leave
1
Q: I told my employer I was pregnant (I have been with the company for nearly 3 years).
My boss told me not to return after the baby is born and also said that I should leave before my maternity leave. I told them it's my right to stay/choose.
Since that day my boss has harassed and bullied me at work. I raised a formal complaint against him.
However, the company are supporting him saying it never happened as they don't want to be liable.
I am now signed off work sick because of the abuse/treatment at work that ended up with me nearly having a miscarriage.
If I resign, I lose my 3 years EOSB, my medical and visa. But if I stay, I am subjected to daily harassment.
What legal rights to do I have?

Nov 25, 2019
778
Can the employee refuse to move to another job location if asked by the employer?
9
Q: Hi,
Good day!
I just want to ask a question, My contract is unlimited and working with my company for 3 years already here in Dubai. My job is Office Assistant and the office I'm working with didn't renew the contract from my company.
Now, my company wants to send me to another Emirate which is Ras Al Khaimah. But I refused the offer because it very far and in my contract, it's written “The second party shall work for the first party in the job/profession within the UAE (Emirate Name: Dubai).
My question is do I have the right to refuse?
And if my company terminates me, do I have the rights to get my benefits and gratuity?
Thank you so much Sir/Ma'am!

Feb 9, 2021
2326
Legal blog
2 available 2 • View allTermination Without a Valid Reason - What Can You Do? 12
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.
Jan 15, 2020
5482
An Overview of the New UAE Labor Law and Recent Amendments of 2024 233
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.
Sep 10, 2024
90649
Laws & Regulations
3 available 3 • View allFederal Law No. (8) of 1980 Concerning the Regulation of Labor Relations 53
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.
Apr 20, 1980
103628
Ministerial Decree No. (765) of 2015 On Rules and Conditions for the Termination of Employment Relations 8
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.
Sep 27, 2015
12408
Federal Decree-Law No. (33) of 2021 On the Regulation of Labor Relations 34
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).
Sep 20, 2021
26473

Other answers by
10 10 answers •
View allWorking beyond the notice period specified in the contract 0
I am currently working for a free zone company in DAFZA. The job is not going well for me and I would like to leave. I signed a three-year contract and it has been nine months so far.
My contract states that I need to give one month notice but my employer wants me to stay for two months. He says it is company policy not to accept the breach of contract compensation, hence I must serve two months without pay.
I am supposed to pay him for three months half pay, and he is refusing to allow me to pay that and serve one month notice. I am even thinking of just absconding and going back to my country. Will I get a labour ban and immigration ban?
I received an offer from one of our clients as well, but my contract has a non-competition clause. Does this apply, given that the two companies are in different industries, one is a supplier of products and the other is a consultancy service provider?
I am considering going back to my home country as my employer is being unreasonable on the 2 months notice.
Jan 2, 2018
1644
Drafting referral agreement to guarantee the payment of commission 0
Dear Sir/ Madam,
I am Sammy based in Nairobi, Kenya and I'm about to deal with an electric company in Dubai. I want to provide the company with business and in return, I get my commission from them after the deal is done.
My issue is that we may have an email agreement with them, but later after the business is done they may evade from sending me my commission. I need a letter whereby I and the company sign it as an agreement to avoid nonpayment.
Please help.
Regards
Dec 19, 2017
1504
Filing a bounced cheque case against a debtor 0
Dear Sir/Madam,
Greetings for the day.
I have given AED 150,000 to a known person (who is dealing with flat lease), on his emergency situation.
He said he will pay the amount in 3 months. As a security, I took the whole amount in cheque. Apart from that, he had given 3 cheques total for AED 36000 for 3 months.
After a month he left the country and didn't come back for 6 months.
Now, its been 8 months without giving me any amount and now he is here in Dubai. So, I contacted him for the money, and he told me "I don't have money, do whatever you want".
So, I thought of going in a legal way, where I deposited all the cheques of AED 186,000 and it got bounced today.
Please guide me through the legal process, and what is the chance of getting my money back?
Now, I am seriously in a very bad situation. I am about to lose my future in the UAE because of this issue.
Please help me out.
Warm Regards,
Dinesh
Dec 21, 2017
2313
Refund of money paid for purchasing a beauty salon that never happened 0
Hi,
We are planning to buy a beauty salon and we have given the owner a deposit of AED 20k. After a week he asked for another AED 50k as he has dues that need to be settled with the landlord.
He gave us a cheque for AED 50k which bounced because the account has been closed a long time back as per the bank. It’s been 49 days and the transfer is not done yet. Can we file a civil case and ask for moral damage as we lost a lot of money since the business is not operating yet? Can we still get our AED 70k that we had given to him?
Dec 17, 2017
340
The employee's rights upon resignation from a government entity 0
I worked for a Federal Government entity in the UAE; this entity was created by special decree so it doesn’t have a normal trade license or Labour contracts from MOL. Instead, we have signed employment contract which states it is governed by Labour Law of 1980, other federal laws and will be in the jurisdiction of Abu Dhabi.
My employment visa is from the emirate of Dubai as the entity also had a branch in Dubai. I recently resigned from my job serving 3-month notice as mandated by the HR policy. My resignation got accepted within a day and I was advised that this day would be last working day, and my notice period has been waived off.
I was just short by 15 days in completing 3 years of my service, and I had planned by cash flows assuming I would be getting paid for the next 3 months. Now, I am in a very bad situation as the employer is insisting I am not legally entitled to 3 months pay.
I need your urgent advice on the matter as the Labour Ministry cannot get involved due to the absence of labour contract.
Dec 14, 2017
2151
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