Q: Good evening, Mam/Sir, I have been working at a contracting company for almost 1.5 years. Recently, I received an offer letter from another company, and I have decided to pursue this new opportunity. I submitted my resignation with a notice period of 10 days. However, my employer is not allowing me to resign and has not returned my passport.

Q: Dear Sir, I am a UAE resident and I work in a Dubi based company in Deira Dubai. I went on vacation on the 1st of March and supposed to come back to Dubai on 25th of March. Due to COVID-19 travel restrictions, my company asked me to stay in my home country up to 30th June on unpaid leave. Today my manager called me and asked me to send a resignation letter. I wanted to share with you that I was a good performer in my company and was achieving my targets. Is it legal to ask a resignation while I am on leave and they did not initiate termination but asking me to resign? Please also advise, is the company responsible to pay me full gratuity? And if the company terminates me, then am I also eligible to get 3 months salary as compensation? Please help me to cope with this situation. Thanks and regards, A. Z.

Q: I work as an admin assistant for a private school in Dubai. A teacher joined us on 17.03.2017 as an Art Teacher. On 5th December 2019, She travelled to her home country on the demise of her mother with no official communication to any member of the SLT and Principal. On 3rd January 2019, she sent an email to the principal for extending her holidays till 20th January on the ground of medical leave. She didn't come back at all yet. On April 18th, 2020, she sent her resignation via email. My question here, since she is under school labour contract and she didn't serve her one month notice period, is she eligible to the end of service benefits? I would appreciate it if you could guide us with the legality of this matter. Thanks, S.

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 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.

The provisions of this Federal Decree-Law No. (9) of 2024 Amending Some Provisions of Federal Decree-Law No. (33) of 2021 On the Regulation of Labor Relations "New Amendment", replace the provisions of articles (54) and (60) of Federal Decree-Law No. (33) of 2021 On the Regulation of Labor Relations