Category · Q&A index
Employment & Labour
UAE labour law: gratuity, termination, MOHRE, work permits.
21DAYS
Minimum annual leave entitlement
30DAYS
Standard probation period maximum
2MONTHS
Notice period for indefinite contracts
21DAYS
Gratuity earned per year (capped limit)
Start here
01
I need to calculate my end-of-service gratuity
Understand how EOSB and gratuity are calculated under UAE Labour Law, including eligibility, service duration rules, and the 2024 calculation methods for limited and unlimited contracts.
1 question
02
What leave am I entitled to in the UAE?
Learn about annual leave, sick leave, maternity leave, and compassionate leave entitlements under UAE Labour Law, including accrual rules and employer obligations.
6 questions
03
Can I be terminated or what's my notice period?
Discover your rights during probation, notice period requirements, termination grounds, and enforceability of non-compete clauses under UAE employment law.
5 questions
24 answered questions
2 lawyer-reviewed
I need to calculate my end-of-service gratuity
What leave am I entitled to in the UAE?
- Provisional
Do I Need a Labor and Employment Lawyer in UAE?
You rarely need a labor and employment lawyer in the UAE: MOHRE handles most complaints free and claims under AED 50,000 skip court; hire above AED 100k.
- Provisional
How Does Sick Leave Work Under the UAE Labour Law?
UAE sick leave: 90 days/year after probation. Days 1-15 paid in full, days 16-45 half pay, days 46-90 unpaid. Requires 3-day notice and UAE medical certificate.
- Provisional
What Is a Limited Contract in the UAE Today?
A limited contract UAE-side is now the only type: since 2 February 2022 all MOHRE private-sector contracts are fixed-term under Federal Decree-Law 33/2021.
- Provisional
How Much Annual Leave Am I Entitled to in the UAE?
Full-time private-sector employees in the UAE are entitled to 30 calendar days of paid annual leave per year after 12 months of service.
- Provisional
How Much Compassionate Leave in UAE?
UAE bereavement leave: 5 paid days for spouse death, 3 paid days for parents, children, siblings, grandparents. Governed by Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021.
- Provisional
What Is the Maternity Leave Entitlement in the UAE?
Female employees in the UAE are entitled to 60 days of maternity leave: 45 days at full wage and 15 days at half wage, plus breastfeeding breaks.
Can I be terminated or what's my notice period?
- Provisional
UAE Labor Law on Resignation: Notice, Pay, Gratuity
If you're thinking about quitting a UAE job, the rules changed more than you might realise. Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 (the current Labour Law) scrapped unlimited contracts in 2022 and reset how notice periods, end-of-s
- Provisional
Night Work Permit Dubai Police: What You Actually Need
If you're running a business that keeps staff on-site past midnight — cleaning crews, delivery hubs, valet teams, event setups — you've probably heard whispers about a night work permit. Here's what it actually is, and wher
- Provisional
3 Months Salary on Termination UAE: What You're Actually Owed
If you're being told you'll get "3 months salary on termination" in the UAE, pause before you sign anything. That phrase gets thrown around loosely — sometimes it means notice pay, sometimes arbitrary dismissal compe
- Provisional
How to Cancel a Labour Card Online via MOHRE
Labour card cancellation in UAE is done online via MOHRE portal by the employer. Employee consents via SMS OTP. Ensure WPS settlement, then GDRFA cancels visa. Grace period is usually 60–180 days.
- Provisional
How to Check Your MOHRE Complaint Status in the UAE
Check MOHRE complaint status via the app, website (mohre.gov.ae), or call 600 590 000. Mediation typically takes 14 days. If unresolved, get a court referral letter to file within 14 days.
Other questions
- Lawyer-reviewed
Can I Be Terminated During My Probation Period in the UAE?
Yes. Employer must give 14 days written notice. No gratuity if under 1 year. Discriminatory or retaliatory dismissal can still be challenged at MOHRE.
- Lawyer-reviewed
UAE Labour Law: Notice Period for Contract Termination?
Standard notice is 30–90 days written notice (must be set in contract). The other party can pay in lieu. Probation termination requires 14 days.
- Provisional
How Is Gratuity Calculated in UAE 2024?
UAE private-sector gratuity is 21 days' basic pay per year for first 5 years, then 30 days per year after, capped at 2 years. You need 1 year continuous service to qualify.
- Provisional
End of Service Calculator Dubai
How to Calculate Your Gratuity in 2025 If you're leaving a job in Dubai and trying to work out what you're owed, an end of service calculator Dubai gives you a ballpark — but the real number depends on which contract you're on, why you're leavin
- Provisional
How to File a Complaint with MOHRE in UAE?
How to File a Complaint with MOHRE: A Worker's Guide If you're in the UAE private sector and your employer has stopped paying you, withheld your passport, or fired you for raising a problem, your first stop is a complaint with MOHRE — the Ministry of Human Resources and Emirati
- Provisional
Are Non-compete Clauses Enforceable in the UAE?
Non-compete clauses are enforceable in UAE if reasonable in geography, duration (max 2 years), and activity scope. They must protect legitimate business in
- Provisional
What Is Salary WPS in the UAE?
Salary WPS is the UAE's electronic wage payment system. Employers must pay full contracted salary within 15 days of the due date through a licensed agent.
- Provisional
How Is End-of-service Gratuity Calculated Under UAE Labour Law?
UAE end-of-service gratuity is calculated at 21 days of basic wage per year for years 1–5, then 30 days per year thereafter, capped at two years' wages.
- Provisional
How Long Is the Probation Period Under UAE Labour Law?
Under UAE Labour Law, the probation period cannot exceed six months. During probation, the employer can terminate with 14 days' written notice.
- Provisional
What Is the Wage Protection System Penalty for Late Salary?
Late salary penalties under UAE WPS: flags at 15+ days, fines and permit blocks at 31+ days, suspension and criminal referral at 60+ days or repeated breach.
- Provisional
Can My Employer Hold My Passport in the UAE?
Your employer cannot legally hold your passport in the UAE. It's unlawful even with written consent. Report to MOHRE or police if withheld.
- Provisional
What Is the Wage Protection System (WPS) and Is It Mandatory?
WPS is the mandatory UAE electronic salary transfer system. Employers must pay employees within 15 days of pay period end via a UAE-licensed bank.