Questions & Answers - Legal Advice Middle East

What to do when the employer stops paying your salaries

Q: Hi Sir I am working in Dubai, and my employer did not pay our salaries since last 3 months. Whenever we ask for the salaries no one from the top management has an answer in this regard. We have to pay rent, food and other livelihood liabilities every month. Our families are dependent on us, so it`s very hard to survive. I am a bit confused what to do in this situation, could u please give a suggestion to get out from this situation? I don`t know when he is going to pay us, this situation is with all the employees in the company. Thank you.

Breach of car repair obligation by the insurance company

Q: My insurance company (Oman Insurance) took 22 days to get an estimation of the reason being major damage. I inquired for a total loss and they said no as there was no chassis damage and the estimate was awaited. On the 24th day, I received a total loss offer letter from Oman Insurance asking to sign and acknowledge. I accepted the offer and sent back the document. 2 days later the garage told me that they were working in the car based on the word of the estimator in spite of no LPO. Oman insurance calls me and says that there was a miscommunication and the garage brought down the repair charges from AED 50000 to AED 20000 and that they will now proceed to fix the car. I did not agree with them as I found that the car had a chassis damage. Oman Insurance changed tune all of a sudden to the car only having minor damages and the chassis will be fixed. Can the insurance company take back an agreement on free will when an offer is accepted and has the company signature, seal and trade license?

Children without marriage cannot benefit from father's alimony

Q: Hi Sir, I have two kids and their father is a UAE national. He is currently working in the army, and im a Philipino national. Do my kids have a right to seek their father`s financial support even if we are not married?

Claiming money from the bank in false credit card transactions

Q: It`s a query regarding the fraudulent transactions on my credit card last March 31, 2017. I was having my annual leave in Manila, Philippines (March 10, 2017- March 30, 2017) and Japan (March 30, 2017- April 9, 2017), which I have all the boarding passes and copies of passport pages as a proof. The last time I used my credit card was in NAIA airport, the Philippines, to pay my travel tax for travelling to Japan and this proves that my credit card is in my possession while I was in Japan. But then on March 31, 2017, I received an SMS from Emirates NBD bank that my card has been used for Aramex (AED 174.01), Souq.com (AED 5,581.00) and Sharaf DG (AED 3,717.00) transactions for the total amount of AED 9472.01. I immediately called the bank and asked them to block my credit card on that same day. As soon as I was back in Dubai (April 9, 2017), I called the bank and filed a complaint. I also filed a police case which I also sent to the bank but still, they didn`t honour everything and threatening me every time.

Pressure tactics by the collection agent of a bank

Q: Hi Sir, I have a concern regarding the issue with a collection agent for RAK Bank. I didn`t pay my credit card debts for several months due to some family financial matter. Now, I am in trouble and put in a warning by the management for termination, because of the collection agent who keeps on sending emails to the company`s email addresses on our website. He is harassing me also and affecting my emotions, mental health and credibility in the company. I have informed him that I can provide a payment by next month, but he keeps on insisting to pay on 28 and sending to the company`s email address. What should I do?

Journey from offer letter to employment visa in the UAE

Q: Hello, I have accepted a job offer from the UAE and submitted the copy of passport, photo, scanned documents of certificates (Attested at the MoEA & UAE Embassy). Now, it has been 2 months plus, with no update from the employer. They are telling me that they`re still processing.

Hire a lawyer online

Save time and money. Buy fixed-fee legal services or submit your request and get multiple competitive offers from qualified lawyers.

Buy services Get quotes

Status of a partner who left Dubai without a proper company closure

Q: Hi. Could you please let me know, how much would it cost me to check up if there are any legal cases or immigration issues as I needed to check up for a relative? He had left Dubai for a family emergency, however, he was informed by a local typing agent in Dubai that he can`t return back. He never had any financial liability in Dubai but just did not cancel the visa, and could not close the company license he was a partner at. Thanks

Claiming passport from the sponsor upon cancellation of labour contract

Q: I don`t have my passport but labour relation office give me a paper to cancel my visa. My labour card and labour contract are already cancelled by the labour relation office. My passport is with the sponsor. So, please tell me what to do next. Should I just go to the immigration for cancellation or complain first to ask for my passport retention?

How to act against the accumulation of credit card debts

Q: Hi. I am seeking advice about outstanding credit card payments with various banks in the UAE, although I have done a lot of minimum payments to these cards. Now, I have come back to my home country and the outstanding amounts have been increasing. I suppose there are a case and travel ban against me. Please advise on what I should do?

Non-competition court case for joining a competitor

Q: My previous company filed a case in Dubai court, saying that as per my agreement with them I should not join the same field with a competitor of my previous company. In addition, they came to some amount and I got the news that they will file one case with more amount than the previous amount. So, is there any solution for this? How can I dismiss this case, as I have not done any crime?

The UAE ban: types, terms and exemptions

Q: I was working with a company in Dubai. As I got termination with the company I was trying for another job. Unfortunately, I had debts for the credit card and the bank filed case against me. My friends told me that I will get only a few months punishment if I surrender to the police. In addition, I don`t want to pay back to the bank. I surrendered there to the police and they took me to the court. The court sentenced me a month and they released after that, then the police took me to the immigration jail as they informed me that my company put my name on the absconding list. I was there at the immigration jail till I arranged my ticket, and they deported me to my country upon arranging the ticket with a lifetime ban from entry to the UAE. How can I lift my lifetime ban as it wasn`t my mistake? Please reply.

Looking for something else?

Ask for advice from a lawyer

It’s free and anonymous

No registration needed

Ask a lawyer

Legal proceedings for a bounced cheque issued by the employer

Q: Dear Sir/ Madam, I would like to have an advice about a bounced cheque. I got a cheque against my pending salary from the company where I used to work before in Dubai. However, the cheque bounced and I filed a complaint at the police station. I was expecting a reply from the police station, as per my knowledge. Yesterday, the company owner called me and said that the police had arrested him and he has paid the fine, so the case is dismissed. I would like to know if I need to file a civil case now or I have to wait till I get a reply from the police in order to recover my money. For the civil case, where and how can I file the complaint? Thanks & regards

Leaving the UAE for emergency while facing cases to pay debts

Q: I lost my job a few months back and have not been able to find a job ever since. Due to no salary, I haven`t been able to pay my liabilities and I currently have 3 legal cases against me. I need to undergo a surgery and I cannot afford to do it here. I would need to visit my home country for the same. If you can, please advise me on the procedure so I can do the same. Thank you

Legal consequences of resignation in a limited labour contract

Q: Good day, My situation is that I submitted my resignation last October 5 effectivity same day, in hard copy. I also emailed it to my manager and sent it on WhatsApp to my boss and manager. They saw my resignation in WhatsApp but my manager doesn`t accept my hard copy because he said that he doesn’t want to have problems. So, I messaged my boss through WhatsApp and he doesn`t seem to care about it. They told me that I have to pay the visa cost before they give me my passport. I talked to the Labor Department and they said I should only pay my employer 45 days of my salary, and I am willing to pay the 45-day salary for resignation but my boss is asking to for the visa cost also. He said he knows his rights and I must pay more than just the 45 days salary. Please help me, I don`t know what to do. I need to get back urgently to the Philippines.

Working on a visit visa and holding of passport

Q: Hello Sir, A friend of mine was offered a job in Dubai on a visit visa, and he is working at the company for almost past 4 months on the same visa. Last month, his visit visa was expired and overstayed. The company had cleared his overstay and has issued him yet another visit visa for a month. Now, whenever he asks the HR for work visa status, he is not getting a proper reply. My friend says he does not want to continue, but the company has the passport and they are not giving him the passport. He knows that working on a visit visa is illegal in the UAE, and he wants to quit. What are his options? Should he contact the labour department or MOL? Will he be deported, fined and/ or jailed?

Civil proceedings following a criminal case for bounced cheques

Q: Hello, My father had a criminal case for bounced cheques. He has previously paid a part of the amount but failed to pay the full amount as his company faced losses and closed. He`s now facing a jail time of 2 years. Now, the same person is filing a civil case. Could you please tell me how would this end? Thank you very much. (Please do keep in my mind he signed personal cheques).