Q: Good afternoon. I have been working with my employer for the past 3 years and 9 months. According to my contract, I am required to work 42 days and take 21 days of unpaid rotational leave. 6 months ago, my employer changed my rotational working cycle to 60 days of work and 60 days of unpaid leave. I did not agree to this change, but I have been working under this new cycle for the past 3 rotations. I resigned from my job while I was on rotational leave and requested to be released from my contract with a 30-day notice period. However, my employer informed me that I must first complete my rotational leave, which is 60 days, and then serve a 30-day notice period after returning to work. I have another job that I need to start in 20 days, but my current employer is not releasing me. I officially submitted my resignation via email on July 12, 2023, from India. Due to this issue, I traveled to Abu Dhabi on July 18, 2023. Please advise me if I must serve my notice period after completing my 60-day rotational leave, or if it can be calculated from the date of my resignation.

Q: The employee was being terminated due to the non-availability of projects (Project-based) but under unlimited contract. He has 32 days as an unused leave. Article 5 of the Labour Law mentioned that accrued annual leave shall be paid on the basic wage, while Article 79 mentioned that it shall be paid on the wage basis. Please give clarification on this to avoid disputes. Shall we pay him basic only or plus allowance? Thank you for answering!

Q: Dear Sir/Madam, I have completed one year in my company, and I want to go to my country for vacation. If my boss does not allow annual leave, what should I do? What are the rules regarding annual leave? Are holidays mentioned in my contract period? What can be done if it has been specified that you have to leave after two years?

Q: Dear Sir/Ma'am, My employer insists I take annual leave after 2 years, but as per my contract, I can take it annually. What should I tell him?

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.

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 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).

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.