Employment law in the UAE: your rights when a job ends

Notice periods

Either side may end an employment contract by giving written notice. The length of notice is set out in the contract and must fall within the range the law allows. During the notice period the employment continues on the same terms, and pay in lieu may be agreed in writing.

If you were dismissed with no notice and no written reason, first establish which regime governs your contract: mainland, a free zone, or a financial centre such as DIFC or ADGM. The rules and the forum differ.

End-of-service gratuity

Gratuity is calculated on basic salary, not on the total package. Housing, transport and similar allowances are excluded unless the contract says otherwise. The length of continuous service determines how much is due.

Unpaid wages

Most mainland salaries are paid through the Wage Protection System, which records what was transferred and when. That record is usually the strongest evidence in a wage claim, so get your bank statements before you file anything.

Keep every message in which payment was promised or delayed. Screenshots are accepted, but dated written correspondence carries more weight.

Arbitrary dismissal

A dismissal may be treated as arbitrary where the reason is unrelated to the work, for example where it follows a legitimate complaint. Compensation is capped by reference to salary and is separate from notice pay and gratuity.

Time limits run from the date an entitlement falls due. Delay is the most common reason a good claim fails.

Filing with MOHRE

Mainland disputes begin as a complaint to the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation, which tries to settle the matter between the parties. You will need your Emirates ID, the employment contract, evidence of salary payments and a short statement of what is owed.

If settlement fails, the file is referred onward with a summary of the claim. What goes into the first complaint shapes the case that follows, so get the figures right at the start.

Moving to the labour court

Court pleadings are filed in Arabic, and documents in other languages are submitted with a legal translation. Employees are exempt from court fees up to a threshold set by law.

Most claims settle before judgment. A properly quantified demand, sent early, is what usually produces that settlement.