Questions & Answers
Questions & Answers
4 available 4 • View allLiability of an employee to pay damages caused to the employer
1
Q: The delivery person in charge used the forklift and made an accident (this was not his job). The material loss of this accident is around AED 10,000.
If he is to be terminated for this accident, can this amount be deducted from his benefits, leave salary and gratuity?

Mar 25, 2018
1575
Employer's right to deduct damages from the employee's EOSB in case of mistakes
1
Q: Hello,
I'm structural detailer/draftsman. My employer terminated me last Nov. 30, 2020, due to some mistakes of work.
But now more than 1 month already he doesn't want to cancel my visa and he told me to go back to my home country without cancelling my visa.
Otherwise, he will file a case against me due to my mistakes and he wants to deduct the cost of rework and material scrapped from my settlement (AED 15k of total cost) due to my mistakes.
Hope you can help me and give advice on what to do in this situation.
Thank you in advance.

Jan 4, 2021
510
Max deduction for severance pay due to damage/negligence in UAE


1
Q: Dear Questioner,
In the UAE, is there a maximum amount an employer can deduct from an employee's severance pay due to damage/negligence?



Apr 26, 2023
219
What can my company do with me if the client penalized us for a mistake we made?
0
Q: Hi,
I am working as a mechanical engineer in a firefighting company in Abu Dhabi. I am in charge of and representing one of our sites and I am working inside the site.
Due to our mistake during maintenance, we created a fire alarm which results in the evacuation of around 450 persons for 20 minutes. Due to this issue, our client charged a penalty of around 40000 Dhs to our company.
Hence I need to know what actions can my company take against me.
Is it allowed for the company to charge a full penalty amount from me or will they terminate me without settlement if I am proven guilty?
If I need to pay the company some amount, what is the maximum amount I need to pay legally?
If I am planning to resign from my company, will they make any issues during visa cancellation?

Jun 23, 2023
140
Legal blog
2 available 2 • View allAn Overview of the New UAE Labor Law and Recent Amendments of 2024 233
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.
Sep 10, 2024
92328
How to File an Employment Court Case in the UAE 36
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.
May 10, 2021
11309
Laws & Regulations
3 available 3 • View allFederal Decree-Law No. (33) of 2021 On the Regulation of Labor Relations 34
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).
Sep 20, 2021
26898
Federal Law No. (8) of 1980 Concerning the Regulation of Labor Relations 53
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.
Apr 20, 1980
103744
Ministerial Decree No. (765) of 2015 On Rules and Conditions for the Termination of Employment Relations 8
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.
Sep 27, 2015
12458

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Salam Alaykum
What are the wife's rights after Tafreeq (separation)?
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Hi
In an RDC enforcement case, what is the best way to pay?
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Can a DTC holiday home permit be used as proof that my landlord re-rented the property after evicting me? 1
Hello,
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Can I file a case against a friend for privacy breach if he claimed I scolded him for his act? 0
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Mar 18, 2025
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What are the legal consequences of my partner's voluntary withdrawal from our company? 0
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Getting my children back from the UAE after my ex-husband took them to avoid divorce 1
Hello,
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My children are twin boys, 8 years old, and a 10-year-old girl. What can I do?
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How to solve the OTP issue blocking my visa change while changing jobs and get a new visa? 0
I need legal advice regarding the cancellation of my work permit to join a new company. Here’s a brief overview:
I have worked for a contracting company in Dubai since 2018, with my visa later transferred to Sharjah. After receiving a job offer in Dubai, I resigned, but my old employer’s attempt to cancel my work permit failed due to an OTP issue.
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I would appreciate your advice on resolving the permit cancellation and overstay fines.
Mar 28, 2025
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Are the non-compete clauses enforceable in case of resignation to take a better offer? 0
Currently working at Company X in Dubai. I recently got a stronger offer from Company Y, a much larger firm in the same industry but in a different free zone.
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Hello,
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My previous organization has not yet released EOSB because I contacted a client. Is this legal? 0
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Can I renew my trade license and visa if I have multiple cheque execution cases filed against me? 0
Hello,
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Thanks.
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How to file a case against my former company for unpaid salary I was not on their visa? 0
Dear Legal Advice Middle East,
I hope you are well.
I am seeking legal advice regarding an unpaid salary issue with my former employer, [-----]2 LLC. I was employed with them from December 4, 2024, to January 7, 2025, on a monthly salary of 5,000 AED.
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Employer agreed to settle before MOHRE. What if they don’t pay the promised amount? 0
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May 1, 2025
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How to file a case against my former company for unpaid salary I was not on their visa? 0
Dear Legal Advice Middle East,
I hope you are well.
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After closing the company, can an investor stay in the UAE until the residence visa expires? 0
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Employer agreed to settle before MOHRE. What if they don’t pay the promised amount? 0
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I already have a dispute order with MOHRE. Then my employer became willing to settle the case.
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What can a company do if an employee agrees to stay but then stops reporting to work? 0
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My previous organization has not yet released EOSB because I contacted a client. Is this legal? 0
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The HR has instructed the finance team not to do so because I had contacted one of their clients.
In my DMCC contract, there is no Non-Compete clause, but the offer letter has one, and now they are not releasing the end-of-service.
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Can I renew my trade license and visa if I have multiple cheque execution cases filed against me? 0
Hello,
I have multiple cheque execution cases filed against me due to financial strains last year.
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How to file a case against my former company for unpaid salary I was not on their visa? 0
Dear Legal Advice Middle East,
I hope you are well.
I am seeking legal advice regarding an unpaid salary issue with my former employer, [-----]2 LLC. I was employed with them from December 4, 2024, to January 7, 2025, on a monthly salary of 5,000 AED.
However, I only received a partial payment of 2,473 AED on February 24, 2025. The remaining 2,527 AED is still unpaid.
I submitted a complaint to MOHRE on March 2, 2025, but I am unable to proceed further through their official channels.
This is because I was working under the visa of my previous employer, [---] LLC, and not under [----]’s sponsorship.
As a result, I do not meet the criteria to file a labor complaint via the MOHRE app or hotline.
Given this situation, I would appreciate your guidance on how I can legally pursue the recovery of my remaining salary, considering the complications related to my visa status during the employment.
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Does filing an online rental dispute by a landlord lead to a travel ban on the tenant? 0
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How can we claim our money back if the cheque we received have bounced for insufficient funds? 0
We received a cheque which has now bounced. We have tried for over a month and a half now to get a new cheque from the person, and every day he says the next day.
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My previous organization has not yet released EOSB because I contacted a client. Is this legal? 0
I recently joined a new organization in the Hamriyah Free Zone, and my previous organization has not released my end-of-service benefits.
The HR has instructed the finance team not to do so because I had contacted one of their clients.
In my DMCC contract, there is no Non-Compete clause, but the offer letter has one, and now they are not releasing the end-of-service.
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Can I renew my trade license and visa if I have multiple cheque execution cases filed against me? 0
Hello,
I have multiple cheque execution cases filed against me due to financial strains last year.
My trade license and visa will expire next month, along with my Emirates ID.
Is it possible for me to renew my license and visa along with EID prior to settling the execution cases?
The trade license and visa were issued by the free zone authority.
I look forward to your response.
Thanks.
May 1, 2025
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How to file a case against my former company for unpaid salary I was not on their visa? 0
Dear Legal Advice Middle East,
I hope you are well.
I am seeking legal advice regarding an unpaid salary issue with my former employer, [-----]2 LLC. I was employed with them from December 4, 2024, to January 7, 2025, on a monthly salary of 5,000 AED.
However, I only received a partial payment of 2,473 AED on February 24, 2025. The remaining 2,527 AED is still unpaid.
I submitted a complaint to MOHRE on March 2, 2025, but I am unable to proceed further through their official channels.
This is because I was working under the visa of my previous employer, [---] LLC, and not under [----]’s sponsorship.
As a result, I do not meet the criteria to file a labor complaint via the MOHRE app or hotline.
Given this situation, I would appreciate your guidance on how I can legally pursue the recovery of my remaining salary, considering the complications related to my visa status during the employment.
Apr 30, 2025
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After closing the company, can an investor stay in the UAE until the residence visa expires? 0
Hello,
An investor has a residence visa valid until February 2027; however, he wishes to close the company before the current license expires in December 2025.
Can the investor still legally reside in the UAE until the residence visa expires?
Apr 29, 2025
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How many days do I need to wait for company cancellation following resignation and notice? 0
Hello,
How many days do I need to wait for company cancellation following resignation and one-month notice?
Apr 29, 2025
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I purchased a rented apartment in Abu Dhabi. Can I evict the tenant immediately if there is no Tawtheeq contact? 0
I recently purchased a rented apartment in Abu Dhabi and agreed to honor the existing lease. After the transfer, I discovered that the lease is not a Tawtheeq contract, meaning it is not officially registered.
Since I am not receiving rent (as it was a non-refundable arrangement with the seller), I prefer not to issue a new Tawtheeq. I also want to avoid a formal notice to vacate to prevent disputes, as I plan to move in.
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Will the court unfreeze my account automatically after alimony payment? 1
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If a person satisfies their misdemeanor judgment, does this clear their record? 2
Good day!
If a person satisfies their misdemeanor judgment, does this clear their police/immigration record?
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Jan 10, 2025
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What is the process of renewing the visa while a criminal case is still ongoing? 0
What is the process of renewing the visa while a criminal case is still ongoing?
I got first instance court judgment in my favor and was declared innocent, however, the prosecution filed the appeal.
My residence visa is due for renewal next week. Can I process my renewal or it is blocked till the time this case is over?
Jan 10, 2025
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How to renew a company's trade license without an Ejari due to a rental dispute? 0
Hello,
Kindly advise how to renew a company's trade license without an Ejari when there is a disagreement with the landlord over the rental contract.
Apr 23, 2025
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Can I renew my trade license and visa if I have multiple cheque execution cases filed against me? 0
Hello,
I have multiple cheque execution cases filed against me due to financial strains last year.
My trade license and visa will expire next month, along with my Emirates ID.
Is it possible for me to renew my license and visa along with EID prior to settling the execution cases?
The trade license and visa were issued by the free zone authority.
I look forward to your response.
Thanks.
May 1, 2025
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How many days do I need to wait for company cancellation following resignation and notice? 0
Hello,
How many days do I need to wait for company cancellation following resignation and one-month notice?
Apr 29, 2025
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How can we claim our money back if the cheque we received have bounced for insufficient funds? 0
We received a cheque which has now bounced. We have tried for over a month and a half now to get a new cheque from the person, and every day he says the next day.
We need the money now. We have been to the police station, and they said they can not do anything as the reason the cheque bounced is "Insufficient funds."
We have been to Al Barsha - Dubai Courts, and they said there is nothing they can do about it.
We are not sure what we can do. We need the money asap to pay our kids' school fees, let alone all the interest we have lost.
Apr 28, 2025
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What legal action can a company take to recover an amount from a non-paying customer? 0
Hello,
We are a building materials trading company based in the UAE. We supplied materials worth AED 50,000 to a customer around 8 months ago, but despite repeated follow-ups and reminders, no payment has been made to date.
We would appreciate guidance on the following:
1. What legal action can we take to recover the amount?
2. What documents should we have ready (e.g., delivery notes, invoice, emails)?
3. How long does the legal process typically take in the UAE for such cases?
4. Is there a recommended timeline or deadline after which legal steps should be initiated?
Thank you in advance for your advice!
Apr 25, 2025
51

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Can a DTC holiday home permit be used as proof that my landlord re-rented the property after evicting me? 1
Hello,
My landlord vacated the property with 12 months' notice, stating he would live there himself.
However, he started renting the property through the holiday homes system.
Is a permit issued by the DTC for a holiday home valid proof to prove that he is renting and to claim compensation?
Mar 18, 2025
68
I have video recording of my husband beating me. Can I show this in the child custody hearing? 0
I have a video recording of my husband beating me in our garden.
Can I show this in the child custody hearing?
It was filmed with my phone camera
Mar 19, 2025
72
We won the case with the RDC to evict the tenant. What happens after waiting the cooling period? 0
We won the case with the RDC that the tenant has to evict the property. We are told there is a cooling period before they say the date he has to leave.
How long is the cooling period he can appeal and then what happens next if he appeals and if he doesn't?
He was served the one-year notice and then refused to leave, hence the case we raised with RDC and won.
Thank you
Mar 19, 2025
59
Can a free zone visa holder work remotely across the UAE while visiting the company weekly? 1
Hello,
Is it legally permissible for an employee holding a Fujairah free zone visa with a job role in sales and marketing to primarily work remotely from various locations, including Dubai, while visiting the Fujairah-based company once a week?
The employee would meet clients and conduct business activities on the UAE mainland.
Does this arrangement comply with UAE labor laws?
Mar 19, 2025
71
What are the working hour regulations for nursing mothers in the UAE during Ramadan? 1
Hello lawyers,
Could you please clarify the regulations regarding working hours for nursing/breastfeeding mothers in the UAE during Ramadan?
How many hours are they entitled to?
Mar 20, 2025
111
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