Labour and Employment Lawyers

United Arab Emirates: Labour and Employment Comparative Guide

The UAE Labour Law (33/2021) and UAE Cabinet Resolution 1/2022 ('Executive Regulations') control and regulate employment relationships within the United Arab Emirates.

The UAE Labour Law applies to all enterprises and employees in the private sector, including free zones, in the United Arab Emirates, except for the Dubai International Financial Centre and the Abu Dhabi Global Market, which each have their employment laws.

Additionally, the UAE Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE) routinely release resolutions and decisions affecting private sector employers and employees in the United Arab Emirates. You can get the help of labour and employment lawyers if you have any issues related to labour and employment in Dubai.


Read: Employment Lawyer in Dubai


Is a contractual system operating concurrently with or in addition to statutory sources?

Every worker in the United Arab Emirates must sign a documented employment agreement.

When an employee is hired by a company registered with the MoHRE, the employee is required to sign a dual-language (Arabic/English) employment contract in a format established by the MoHRE (the "MoHRE employment contract").


Similarly, some free zones require employees to sign a dual-language (Arabic/English) employment contract in a format defined by the applicable free zone authorities (the "free zone employment contract").


The MoHRE employment contract and the free zone employment contract contain basic information that cannot be modified substantially. It is consequently typical for UAE employers to implement an extra English-language firm employment contract ('company employment contract') containing additional and more sophisticated terms and conditions, such as provisions relating to:


  • duties;

  • bonuses;

  • incentive arrangements;

  • assurance of privacy;

  • obligations before and after employment termination.


While the MoHRE employment contract and the free zone employment contract are typically recognized as the operative employment contract by UAE labour courts, the terms of a company employment contract will be enforceable so long as they do not attempt to exclude the rights or benefits provided by the UAE Labour Law.

When there is a difference between the terms of two employment contracts, a UAE labour court will normally adopt the phrase that benefits the employee the most. Every worker in the United Arab Emirates must sign a documented employment agreement.


Read More Here about Labour and Employment Agreements





Labour and Employment Agreements, are by default made by UAE Labour Law, or MOHRE or Labour Department. The agreed terms with the Employees are mentioned here, acceptable or accepted by both parties.


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