Q: I was working in a company in the UAE for five years. In the UAE they do not have a retirement plan for expats, only End of Service Allowance (EOSA). My employment contract is an open contract. No contract duration. I had taken a loan from the company. I borrowed the funds to support my children education. I had been approved for the loan given I have a salary. The company decided to terminate the employment of about 400 employees. I did not request to be terminated. No package was given at all for compensation except EOSA plus ticket and freight cost. I recently received the company Draft Final Settlement document whereas the EOSA amount that I was hoping to use to survive and provide food and shelter for my family was taken away completely and applied towards paying the loan. They fired me, I did not ask to be fired. They have broken their side of the contract. What legal recourse do I have for not accepting the company literally taking away my EOSA and leaving me bone dry?

Q: Sir. I am a pharmacist in the UAE working in a company since May this year. I have an unlimited contract and in probation period, but all those months the employer paid me only half salary. When I ask about this they are threatening me that they will terminate me and I have to pay the visa expenses. I need some legal advice regarding this.

Q: Good morning Ma'am. I am R. L. and I am working as an engineer in one private project in Dubai. I have a pending salary issue at our company. I have given a complaint against my company one month before in MOHRE. In the compromise centre, my company got 1 month of time and also it was expired. Now, my company is telling me to go to court and the sponsor will decide. So, how can I handle this situation? Can I forward my compliant to court in this case? I am looking a reply Ma'am.

Q: Hi, Hope you all are doing well! I want to file a complaint against a free zone company online, but it is asking me for a "letter from the free zone area". I have no clue what this letter is and where I can get it. Any information, please? Your kind assistance will be highly appreciated. Thank you in advance!

س: كيف يمكن أن أطالب بمستحقاتي المالية قانونيًا من نادي رياضي قمت بإعطاء حصص رياضية فيه بصفة موظفة مستقلة بدون أي عقد كتابي، علمًا بأن النادي لم ينكر وجود مستحقات لي لكنهم لم يدفعوا أي جزء من المبلغ. هذه المستحقات تشمل بعض الأشهر من أعوام 2018 و2019 وبداية 2020. قمت بمراجعتهم أكثر من مرة، وفي كل مرة يعدوني أن أستلم في الشهر المقبل. مضى على هذا الكلام ما يقارب 6 أشهر علمًا بأنني لست المدربة المستقلة الوحيدة في النادي التي لم تستلم مستحقاتها، والمقلق الآن أن النادي بدأ يتعلل بمروره بضائقة مالية بسبب أزمة فيروس كورونا. يرجى الإفادة وشكرًا!

Q: Hello Madam, Good Morning! How many days does it take for a final settlement of an end-of-service gratuity to be issued? I am told that it may take 30-45 days. What if we close the bank account and go back to our country?

Q: Sir. If I file a labor case for my pending salary and final settlement, can I travel to my home country or not? Please advise me.

Q: Hi, I had an issue with an employer so I had complained to MOHRE and we came to an agreement of settlement with MOHRE presence. Now the employer is refusing to implement the settlement and I reactivated the complaint. As per MOHRE, they say that there was no such agreement but I have a recording of the conversation as proof. Can I submit this as proof to the court? Kindly advise!

Q: السلام عليكم، أنا عامل حر تحت الإقامة الذهبية. عملت مع شركة في المنطقة الحرة بأبوظبي على مشروع بدون عقد عمال (فقط عقد داخلي) ولم أقبض حقوقي حتى الآن. أين يمكنني تقديم الشكوى؟ حاولت عن طريق رابط وزارة الموارد البشرية والتوطين، ولكنهم يطلبون خطاب إحالة صادر من المنطقة الحرة وأنا لا أملكه. شكرًا!

An interview-format article covering the topic of filing an employment court case in the UAE. This is from the legal podcast of lawyer Ludmila Yamalova, the founder of Lawgical with LYLAW.

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.

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).