This is an Arabic-language reference guide to arbitrary dismissal (الفصل التعسفي) and end-of-service gratuity (مكافأة نهاية الخدمة) under UAE Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021. The full article is in Arabic; see the Arabic version of this page. It is general legal information, not legal advice.
Under UAE labour law, an employee with at least one year of continuous service is generally entitled to end-of-service gratuity calculated on basic salary: 21 days' basic wage for each of the first five years and 30 days for each year after, capped at two years' total wage. A dismissal can be challenged as arbitrary where it follows a legitimate complaint or claim by the worker, with compensation set by the court up to three months' gross wage. Private-sector disputes start at MOHRE, which attempts amicable settlement before the matter is referred to court. Verify every figure against the current law and your contract before acting.
