⚖️ UAE Labour Rights Guide
A practical overview for many mainland private-sector employees. Always check the current rule and your employment category before acting.
Scope warning: Government, domestic-worker and some free-zone employment can follow different authorities or rules. This page is general information, not legal advice.
Contract and wages
- Keep your signed job offer, official contract, work permit and any written amendments.
- Check employer, job title, basic salary, allowances, work location, hours, probation and notice.
- Salary should follow the agreed contract and applicable wage-payment rules.
- Do not sign blank documents or acknowledge money not received.
- Keep bank/WPS records, payslips, attendance and commission statements.
Working time and rest
Official UAE guidance generally describes normal private-sector working time as 8 hours per day or 48 hours per week, subject to sector-specific rules and legally permitted arrangements. Overtime, breaks, weekly rest and Ramadan reductions have detailed conditions.
- Record actual start/end, breaks and overtime approval.
- Ask how split shifts and travel between sites are treated.
- Check the current rule before calculating a claim; role/category exceptions can apply.
Probation and notice
- Probation is generally limited to a maximum of six months under the private-sector framework.
- Special notice rules apply when an employer terminates during probation or a worker leaves/transfers during probation.
- After probation, contractual notice is generally within legal limits and should be followed by both sides unless a lawful exception applies.
- Do not disappear from work; communicate in writing and obtain case-specific guidance.
Leave overview
| Leave | General point |
|---|---|
| Annual leave | Entitlement and calculation depend on service; official guidance generally provides 30 calendar days per year after one year of service. |
| Sick leave | Eligibility, medical proof and pay stages apply; different rules can apply during probation. |
| Maternity/parental/bereavement/study | Separate eligibility and duration conditions apply. |
| Public holidays | Officially announced holidays and work-on-holiday rules apply. |
Confirm current details through UAE Government Jobs or MOHRE.
End of service and final settlement
- Eligibility and calculation depend on category, service, termination facts, unpaid leave and applicable scheme.
- For many eligible expatriate private-sector workers under the standard gratuity system, the basic wage is important to the calculation.
- Check unpaid salary, leave balance, notice amounts, commission due, deductions and return of company property.
- Ask for a written settlement breakdown before signing receipt.
- The UAE also has an optional alternative end-of-service savings scheme for participating employers; confirm which system covers you.
See the official end-of-service guidance.
When there is a problem
- Write to HR/employer with dates, contract clause and requested correction.
- Save contract, permit, salary proof, attendance, messages and complaint reference.
- For MOHRE-regulated work, use official MOHRE complaint/advisory channels. For free zones, contact the correct authority.
- Do not sign a settlement you do not understand; seek qualified advice for serious or disputed cases.
- For threats, violence, confinement or immediate danger, contact police/emergency services.
Rights checklist
- Documents match the real job and salary
- Work authorisation is valid
- Hours, rest and leave records are kept
- Salary and deductions can be proved
- Safety problems are reported in writing
- Official help channel is known before a dispute