Q: I have been working in a free zone company in Dubai for 14 months and I did not get my salary for more than 8 months. Every time I was asking for the salary, the employer tells me that he did not get payment from clients and he is still saying like that. Now, I sent the resignation letter due to the non-payment of salary, but the employer told me that I cannot resign and I need to finish my 3-year contract otherwise he will deduct the amount from my salary. I don't want to work for this company and also I have a good offer from another company. So, do I need to work for the employers? Will I get a ban?

Q: Dear Ma'am, Good day, I have opened a labour case due to 6-month pending salary & salary deductions for 3 years (2014-15-16). The matter is in court & I am awaiting court dates for the case. My query is regarding getting new employment visa (not 6 months' temporary work permit) during ongoing court case (heard that due to amendment 766 of the year 2016, this is possible). I have a new offer at hand, can I request from the court/MOHRE to cancel my visa & issue a new employment visa? The total claim amount is AED 194K, what are the points should I keep in my mind while the case is ongoing? Should I hire employment lawyer? Requesting your positive response.

Q: Hello Sir. I have an open labour case with Dubai Courts against my previous employer because of salary delays and final settlement dispute. I have an offer from a new employer, and I want to know if I cancel my employment visa with my previous employer, will my labour case stay open? Also, if I cancel my visa with my previous employer, can they force me to accept the final settlement or can I still pursue this with Dubai Courts? Thank you

س: السلام عليكم، هل للشركة أي حق في عدم دفع مكافأة نهاية الخدمة لموظف بعد فترة خدمة طويلة جدًا؟ وما الأسباب القانونية التي تُجيز للشركة عدم دفعها؟

س: إذا امتنعت عن سداد الأجور خلال فترة الإغلاق التام للشركة بسبب كورونا، هل تلحقني مسؤولية؟

Q: Good morning All, I was terminated by my company in March 2020 for not signing the unpaid leave document given to me. I was terminated on 23rd March 2020. Once termination letter was signed, ever since then, I have been chasing my ex-company for releasing the final settlement and each time they come up with a different plan. The last option they gave was to sign an agreement with them for 6 months plan but are not giving me any guarantee cheques and insist that I sign the cancellation papers. I want to simply take my money and leave the UAE. They have also directed me to their lawyers now who insist that any agreement signed with the company is not required to be notarized by Dubai Courts and the company is not legally bound to give me any cheques as a guarantee. The company that I worked for is located in Dubai and is a private organisation.

Q: Dear Sir/Madam, Working as a taxi driver for a company with no prior bad record, I requested my passport back as required by law. However, the company did not respond to my request, so I filed a case and received court approval. I then gave the approval to the Rashidiya Police Station, but for the past week, they have been telling me to come back tomorrow and that they will call the company. I have not done anything wrong by requesting my passport back in accordance with the law, and my company is committing another offense by not allowing me to work. I have been in constant contact with the company but have received no help. I am running out of money and feel like nothing will change, and I will suffer along with thousands of others who have been discriminated against. Please advise me on what to do!

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 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.

By this Decree Ministry of Labour of the UAE has removed the six-month labour ban for those who changed the job before completing two years of service. Labour ban will be still applicable for workers that qualify for skill level 4 and 5 under various circumstances.

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.

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).