Q: Dear Sir/Madam, I resigned from my previous company. They have not yet canceled my visa because I have not yet received my full settlement. However, they gave me a No Objection Certificate (NOC) to work temporarily. My new employer terminated me on the spot after a month and a half, without a notice period. They only sent me a WhatsApp message saying that I was terminated and that I did not need to come to work. After a day, they gave me a termination paper to sign. They also pushed me to sign another paper, but I did not sign it because it was in Arabic. I asked them to give me an English copy, but they said that they did not have time to translate it. I told them that I would take the paper and try to get it translated into English. One of the owners shouted at me and said that he would take it to the fiscal. I told them that according to the labor law, I should receive my pending salary and 14 days' notice period. Is this correct?

Q: Dear Sir/Madam, My notice period falls in the 12th month of my second year of service. So, they have to pay me my annual leave salary, and the same month will be my notice month as I will be resigning. Can they reject paying for annual leave because it falls in the notice month, and they will need me to work during that month for handover?

Q: Under the new law, all contracts will be under the limited contract. If they terminate you, are you going to receive a notice or not? My company terminated me and gave me only 1 month's salary but no notice. Please advise. Thanks

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 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).

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.