The contract mirrors the offer
A signed offer on the MOHRE form is submitted for the work permit, and the contract must match it. You can add benefits for the employee, but you cannot worsen the terms.
Legal Services in the UAE
UAE employment law protects employees more strictly than it seems: a mistake in a contract or a dismissal turns into a complaint to MOHRE, and the ministry decides small claims itself. We handle hiring, contracts, changes to terms and dismissals so that there is nothing to dispute.
In short
Onshore and in most free zones, Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 applies, and its guarantees are a minimum: 30–90 days’ notice of termination, probation of up to 6 months, gratuity of 21 days’ pay per year for the first 5 years and 30 days after. From June 2026 salaries are due by the 1st.
Checked 16 October 2026 · Violetta Absalyamova
Cost of a mistake
Up to 90 days’ pay
What a party pays for not observing the termination notice period: salary for the whole period in the contract — 30–90 days — or the remainder.
How to avoid itThe mainland and most free zones are governed by one law — Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021, as amended. Almost all of its guarantees are a minimum that a contract cannot reduce.
Fixed-term and in Arabic
The parties choose the term themselves, renewals count towards length of service, and if work continues after the term ends, the contract is extended. The text is in Arabic and a language the employee understands; the Arabic prevails.
Dismissal follows a procedure
Notice of 30–90 days, or dismissal without notice on a closed list of grounds — after a written investigation. All payments are due within 14 days.
Disputes start at MOHRE
First comes settlement at the ministry. MOHRE decides claims of up to AED 50,000 itself, and its decision is enforced like a court judgment unless it is challenged in court.
DIFC and ADGM are separate
The financial free zones have their own employment law: in DIFC, the 2019 law and the DEWS savings plan; in ADGM, the 2024 regulations.
Expert tip
Most employment disputes are set up at hiring: the offer says one thing, the contract another, a bonus was promised verbally. MOHRE looks at the documents. And before parting ways, calculate the full settlement — notice, gratuity, leave, a ticket home: reaching an agreement is often cheaper than defending yourself.
Violetta AbsalyamovaHead of Legal Practice · Business support and legal mattersWho it suits
A good fit if
Consider something else if
DIFC and ADGM
The federal law applies on the mainland and in most free zones, while the financial centres have their own rules and their own courts. The biggest differences are in end-of-service pay, notice and the deadline for the final settlement. Checked in October 2026.
Gratuity: 21 and 30 days
per year of service, on basic salary; capped at 2 years’ salary
30–90 days
set in the contract, the same for both parties
MOHRE, then court
on the mainland; MOHRE decides claims up to AED 50,000 itself
14 days
after the contract ends
Click an option to highlight it across every parameter
Benefits
Parting ways
The method determines the timing, the payments and the risk of a complaint. Deadlines are per UAE labour law; the PRO handles the processing with MOHRE or the free zone.
The calmest route: the date and payments are agreed in writing, leaving almost no grounds for a complaint.
If the notice period is not observed, compensation equals the salary for the whole notice period or the remainder of it. The employee can be released from working out the notice by agreement, keeping all their rights for that period.
Without a written investigation and a reasoned decision, the dismissal is unlawful — even when the breach is obvious.
Probation lasts up to 6 months and only once with the same employer. If you part ways during probation, the non-compete clause does not apply.
Document review
Before you talk to them, send us the contract and briefly describe the situation — we will calculate the payments and suggest the calmest lawful option.
Non-compete
Tick what is true for your contract and employee. The conditions come from the labour law and its executive regulations; DIFC and ADGM have their own rules.
Tick what is true for you
0/7Tick the items to see whether you qualifyThe clause meets the conditions of the law — in a dispute, the company will still have to prove its loss
Release in exchange for compensationExecutive Regulations, Art. 12
The employee or the new employer pays the former employer compensation — no more than 3 months’ salary under the last contract and only with the former employer’s written consent. The parties may also waive the clause by written agreement.
One year to sueArt. 10(3)
A claim against a former employee will not be heard once a year has passed since the breach was discovered. The loss will have to be proved — secure the evidence right away.
Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021, Art. 10; Executive Regulations — Cabinet Resolution No. 1 of 2022, Art. 12. Checked on 15 October 2026.
Process
Every step is visible in the client portal: what’s happening now and whether we need anything from you.
Steps on your side: 2 of 7
We look at the contract, the offer, internal rules, WPS payments, work permits and the history: warnings, correspondence, leave. We determine which law applies — federal, DIFC or ADGM.
Step 1 of 7
We look at the contract, the offer, internal rules, WPS payments, work permits and the history: warnings, correspondence, leave. We determine which law applies — federal, DIFC or ADGM.
Documents
For hiring
For dismissal
For a company in DIFC or ADGM
For an HR audit
Timing and budget
Legal work is paid for separately from payments to the employee and authority fees. We name the budget in advance, and the largest expense is usually the settlement with the employee itself, so we calculate it first.
Deadlines
The scale shows dates from the employee’s first working day; below is what recurs every month and year, and which deadlines a separation triggers. The law’s deadlines apply on the mainland and in most free zones, MOHRE’s WPS sanctions and Emiratisation quotas apply to mainland companies; DIFC and ADGM have their own rules.
Day one
A signed offer on the MOHRE form is submitted for the permit, and the contract then mirrors it. Hiring costs are borne by the company, not the employee.
If missed: AED 100,000–1,000,000 for the company for work without a permit
Up to 6 months
Probation is allowed only once with the same employer. While it lasts, you can part ways with 14 days’ written notice; after that, the general rules apply.
1 year
After a year of continuous service, a foreign employee is entitled to end-of-service pay: 21 days of basic salary for each of the first five years, 30 for each year after that. Incomplete years count pro rata.
Every month
By the 1st of the following month
Salaries via WPS
This has applied since 1 June 2026, with no grace period. The obligation is met if at least 85% of the payroll is paid on time.
If missed: from the 5th day of delay, MOHRE may stop issuing new work permits to the company
From the 11th day of delay
Fines and the company’s category
The MOHRE category determines the fee for a 2-year work permit: AED 250, 1,200 or 3,450 — the highest in category 3.
If missed: administrative fines; for a repeat breach — category 3
From the 16th and 21st day
Dispute and prosecution
From the 16th day, a labour dispute is in some cases registered automatically. From the 21st, large and repeat violators face the Public Prosecution, a precautionary attachment and a travel ban.
Every year
30 June and 31 December
Emiratisation: 50+ employees
Mainland companies raise the share of UAE nationals in skilled positions by 1% by each date; by the end of 2026, the target is 10%.
If missed: MOHRE contribution for each unfilled position
Per the year’s targets
Emiratisation: 20–49 employees
Selected companies in 14 sectors keep UAE nationals on staff: one since 2024 and one more since 2025.
If missed: for the 2025 targets — AED 108,000 for each unfilled position
At least a month in advance
Leave dates
Leave is at least 30 days per year of service. The company agrees the dates with the employee and informs them in advance.
When something happens
30–90 days
Termination notice
The period is set in the contract and is the same for both parties. Throughout it, the contract remains in force and the salary is paid in full.
If missed: compensation — salary for the whole notice period or the remainder of it
14 working days
Employee complaint of a breach
If the company breaches its obligations, the employee notifies MOHRE and, after 14 working days, may leave without notice while keeping all their rights — if the breach has still not been remedied.
14 days after the contract ends
Final settlement
Salary, gratuity, leave compensation and other payments under the law, the contract and internal rules.
15 working days
Challenging a MOHRE decision
In disputes of up to AED 50,000, the ministry’s decision is enforced like a court judgment if neither party files a claim in court.
2 years after leaving
Labour claims and the personnel file
Claims for rights under the labour law are not heard once 2 years have passed since employment ended. Keep the personnel file for at least that long.
Getting it right
Click a card to see how to do it right · 0 of 8 open
01 What people often do
Extending probation or setting it a second time.
02 What people often do
Dismissing someone “on the spot” without an investigation because the employee broke the rules.
03 What people often do
Cutting a salary or changing a position by an announcement in a chat.
04 What people often do
Keeping an employee’s passport “for safety”.
05 What people often do
Banning work for competitors “worldwide for five years”.
06 What people often do
Paying salaries “in the first days of the month”, as before.
07 What people often do
Letting an employee start work while the permit is still being processed.
08 What people often do
Paying part of the salary in cash and showing only the basic salary in WPS.
FAQ
Violetta Absalyamova — Business support and legal matters
From 30 to 90 days — the period is stated in the contract. Notice is given in writing and is binding on both parties; during this period the employee receives full salary. Whoever fails to observe the period pays the other party compensation equal to the salary for the whole period or the remainder of it. If the company is terminating, the employee may take one unpaid day a week to look for work, giving 3 days’ notice. All payments on departure are due within 14 days after the contract ends.
Violetta Absalyamova · Business support and legal mattersDeadlines, amounts and rules are based on these sources as of the check date. Rules change: check with us before deciding.
Often goes with this
Legal ServicesDisputes and Litigation
A complaint has already been filed with MOHRE or a summons has arrived — this is a dispute with its own deadlines: position, evidence, court.
Business SupportPRO Services
Work permits, contract changes in the MOHRE system and visa cancellations — the PRO handles the filings with the authorities.
Business SupportBusiness Counsel
With more than ten or so employees, HR questions come up every week — a subscription covers them for a fixed fee.
Next step
Hiring, changing terms, parting ways or a question about a contract — describe the situation. We will tell you what rights each side has, how much you will have to pay and in what order to act so as not to face a complaint.
Violetta AbsalyamovaHead of Legal Practice · Business support and legal matters
Legal Services in the UAE
