Q: I have been working in JLT free zone (DMCC) company. As per my employment contract with the company, the notice period is 90 days. However, as per the law, the notice period is 30 days. Could you please advise me which period will prevail in this case?

Q: I am currently working for a free zone company in DAFZA. The job is not going well for me and I would like to leave. I signed a three-year contract and it has been nine months so far. My contract states that I need to give one month notice but my employer wants me to stay for two months. He says it is company policy not to accept the breach of contract compensation, hence I must serve two months without pay. I am supposed to pay him for three months half pay, and he is refusing to allow me to pay that and serve one month notice. I am even thinking of just absconding and going back to my country. Will I get a labour ban and immigration ban? I received an offer from one of our clients as well, but my contract has a non-competition clause. Does this apply, given that the two companies are in different industries, one is a supplier of products and the other is a consultancy service provider? I am considering going back to my home country as my employer is being unreasonable on the 2 months notice.

Q: Hi Anita, Can the employer force the employee to render 3 months notice, even if the employee is willing to pay the visa fees and only render one month? Can the employer file absconding case against the employee for not taking 3 months notice?

Q: My company would like to cancel my visa without finishing my one month notice. Is this right?

س: إذا تركت العمل في خلال الأشهر الـ٦ الأولى والعقد غير مُحدد المدة، فهل ألتزم بدفع الشهرين لصاحب العمل؟ مع العلم أنني حصلت على فرصة عمل أخرى.

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 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).