Know the dates
- 1Your last working day
- 2+14 days: the employer must have paid
- 3Complain to MOHRE
- 4MOHRE settles, or decides up to AED 50,000
- 5Court if needed, within 2 years of leaving
| Rule | What the law says | Article |
|---|---|---|
| Deadline to pay | Wages and all other dues within 14 days of the end of the contract | 53 |
| First stop | A dispute goes to the Ministry (MOHRE) for an amicable settlement | 54 |
| Small claims | MOHRE can decide claims up to AED 50,000 itself | 54 |
| Court fees | None for claims up to AED 100,000 | 55 |
| Time limit | No claim can be heard after 2 years from the end of the job | 54 |
Step 1: work out what you are owed
Gratuity, unused leave, unpaid salary and notice pay. Use the final settlement calculator and keep the result. A clear figure with how it was worked out helps a lot.
Step 2: collect your papers
- your employment contract (and every renewal)
- payslips showing your basic salary
- your joining date and last working day (cancellation papers)
- any emails or letters about your dues.
Step 3: ask in writing
Send your employer a short, polite email: your dates, your figure, and that the 14 days of Article 53 have passed. Many cases end here.
Step 4: complain to MOHRE about not paying gratuity
File a labour complaint with the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation through its app or website. The ministry contacts both sides to settle. For claims up to AED 50,000 it can decide the dispute itself, and its decision can be carried out like a court judgment, unless either side goes to court within 15 working days (which puts the decision on hold).
Step 5: court, if needed
If there is no settlement, the case goes to the labour court. Claims up to AED 100,000 are free of court fees for workers.
Do not wait. A claim for any right under the labour law cannot be heard after two years from the end of the employment (Article 54).
This is general information under the published law, not legal advice.
Questions people ask
My employer says I am not paid because I resigned. Is that right? No. Under the current law resigning does not cancel gratuity after one year of service. Only service under an old unlimited contract can be worked out by the old rules (Article 68(3)).
Can my employer keep my gratuity because I owe money? It can deduct only amounts payable under the law or a court judgment (Article 51(7)), not keep all of it.
Do I need a lawyer? Not to start. The complaint goes to MOHRE first, and claims up to AED 100,000 have no court fees.
I have already left the UAE. Can I still claim? The two-year limit still applies. Ask MOHRE how to follow the complaint from abroad.
Sources
- Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 (u.ae), Articles 51, 53, 54 and 55
- Gulf News: how gratuity is calculated under the new law