My mother lost her labor case against her employer for claiming her gratuity. What can she do?

Question

Q: It's a labour case of my mother. She served a family for 18 years. When she finished her contract, they didn't provide her with an end-of-service gratuity, annual leave pay, or days off pay… A: Yes, this means the case has been refused. However, you can appeal the ruling…

Dr. Rashid Al Kaitoob · Accepted Answer

Thank you for contacting us via Legal Advice Middle East

Yes, based on the court’s wording, the judgment was issued “in presence” and the case was dismissed.

The court rejected your mother's claim, but kindly waived the court fees and only imposed a small amount (AED 500) as a contribution towards the opposing party’s legal costs.

We’ve successfully handled a nearly identical case, where a domestic worker served a family for over 15 years without proper documentation or end-of-service settlement.

Despite initial rejection, we reopened the case using witness testimonies, WhatsApp logs, and evidence of consistent work history. The court ultimately reversed its position and awarded our client full dues.

There are still legal paths forward, especially if the dismissal was due to a lack of evidence or missing documents.

The strongest option is to file an appeal within the legally allowed timeframe, especially if there are witnesses, messages, or any informal records that show the duration of service and non-payment of dues.

We can assess the judgment reasoning, prepare the appeal, and help present the long service history effectively. Your mother’s rights are protected under UAE law, but the key is to frame the evidence properly, even if informal.

To help you accurately, we need the court judgment copy, labor complaint documents, and any proof of her employment (even messages or photos).

Our legal consultants are available in Arabic, English, Russian, Hindi, and Chinese.

This response is provided by RASHID ALKAITOOB ADVOCATES & LEGAL CONSULTANTS based solely on the information you’ve provided and does not constitute a final legal opinion. A binding legal assessment can only be given after reviewing the full documents of the case.

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