{"id":6406,"date":"2026-04-07T11:50:39","date_gmt":"2026-04-07T11:50:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/intelligentlegalservices.ae\/?p=6406"},"modified":"2026-04-07T11:57:18","modified_gmt":"2026-04-07T11:57:18","slug":"unlawful-termination-of-employment-in-the-uae","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/intelligentlegalservices.ae\/en\/unlawful-termination-of-employment-in-the-uae\/","title":{"rendered":"Unlawful Termination of Employment in UAE"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Unlawful Termination of Employment in the UAE<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>

The concept commonly referred to as \u201carbitrary dismissal\u201d<\/em> is one of the most frequent issues in employment disputes, due to its direct impact on an employee\u2019s professional and social stability, as well as the legal and financial consequences it imposes on both parties of the employment relationship.<\/p>

However, from a legal standpoint in the United Arab Emirates, it is essential to use the precise terminology adopted by the legislator. The correct legal term is:<\/p>

\u201cUnlawful Termination of Employment\u201d<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>

This is explicitly provided under Article 47 of Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations<\/strong>.<\/p>

It is also important to note that the 2024 amendment (Federal Decree-Law No. 9 of 2024)<\/strong> did not replace Article 47, but instead amended Articles 54 and 60, meaning that the legal framework governing unlawful termination remains unchanged in substance.<\/p>

Arbitrary Dismissal vs. Unlawful Termination (Legal Perspective)<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>

While the term arbitrary dismissal<\/em> is widely used in general discussions, the UAE Labour Law adopts a more precise legal concept:<\/p>

Unlawful Termination of Employment<\/strong><\/p>

This distinction is crucial in:<\/p>

  • Legal drafting and court submissions<\/li>
  • Academic legal writing<\/li>
  • Accurate legal classification<\/li><\/ul>

    Because proper legal analysis begins with the correct terminology.<\/p>

    When is Termination Considered Unlawful?<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>

    Under UAE Labour Law, termination is considered unlawful<\/strong> when:<\/p>

    \u00a0The employer terminates the employee because of<\/strong>:<\/p>

    • Filing a serious complaint with the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE), or<\/li>
    • Initiating a lawsuit against the employer that is proven valid<\/li><\/ul>

      The key factor is not merely the termination itself, but the illegitimate motive behind it<\/strong>, namely retaliation against the employee for exercising their legal rights.<\/p>

      Legislative Philosophy of UAE Labour Law<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>

      UAE Labour Law adopts a balanced approach<\/strong>:<\/p>

      \u00a0It allows termination of employment contracts for legitimate reasons
      \u00a0It prohibits abuse of this right<\/p>

      Conditions for Lawful Termination:<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>
      • Existence of a valid reason<\/li>
      • Compliance with notice period (minimum 30 days, maximum 90 days)<\/li><\/ul>

        Types of Employment Termination in UAE Law<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>

        1. Lawful Termination (Article 43)<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>
        • Based on a legitimate reason<\/li>
        • Requires proper notice<\/li><\/ul>

          2. Termination Without Notice (Article 44)<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>

          Permitted only in serious misconduct cases such as:<\/p>

          • Forgery<\/li>
          • Disclosure of trade secrets<\/li>
          • Unjustified absence<\/li><\/ul>

            3. Unlawful Termination (Article 47)<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>
            • Based on employee complaint or legal action<\/li>
            • Considered an abuse of employer rights<\/li><\/ul>

              Compensation for Unlawful Termination<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>

              If the competent court determines that termination was unlawful, the employer must pay:<\/p>

              \u00a0Fair Compensation<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>
              • Up to a maximum of three months\u2019 salary<\/strong><\/li>
              • Calculated based on the employee\u2019s last wage<\/li><\/ul>

                \u00a0Assessment Factors:<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>
                • Nature of the work<\/li>
                • Length of service<\/li>
                • Extent of damage suffered<\/li><\/ul>

                  Employee Rights Beyond Compensation<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>

                  The compensation does not replace<\/strong> other entitlements. The employee is still entitled to:<\/p>

                  \u00a0Notice period compensation
                  \u00a0End-of-service gratuity
                  \u00a0Any other outstanding dues<\/p>

                  This reflects a clear legal distinction between:<\/p>

                  • Compensation for unlawful termination<\/li>
                  • Rights arising from the end of employment<\/li><\/ul>

                    Burden of Proof in Unlawful Termination Cases<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>

                    The employee must do more than prove termination. They must establish a causal link<\/strong> between:<\/p>

                    • The termination, and<\/li>
                    • Their complaint or legal claim<\/li><\/ul>

                      Key Evidence Includes:<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>
                      • Emails and written communications<\/li>
                      • Official complaints<\/li>
                      • Internal correspondence<\/li><\/ul>

                        This highlights that such disputes are both factual and legal in nature<\/strong>.<\/p>

                        Legal Procedure for Filing a Claim<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>

                        Employment disputes in the UAE follow a structured process:<\/p>

                        1. Filing a complaint with MOHRE<\/li>
                        2. Attempting amicable settlement<\/li>
                        3. Referral to court if settlement fails<\/li><\/ol>

                          \u00a0Under the 2024 amendment:<\/p>

                          • MOHRE may issue decisions in disputes up to AED 50,000<\/li>
                          • Parties retain the right to appeal before the competent court<\/li><\/ul>

                            Legal Conclusion<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>

                            What is commonly referred to as arbitrary dismissal<\/em> in the UAE is legally defined as:<\/p>

                            \u00a0Unlawful Termination of Employment<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>

                            This occurs when:<\/p>

                            • The termination is due to an employee filing a complaint or lawsuit<\/li><\/ul>

                              And results in:<\/p>

                              • Compensation of up to three months\u2019 salary<\/li>
                              • Without prejudice to other employment rights<\/li><\/ul>

                                Final Insight<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>

                                The UAE legislator has shifted from broad terminology to a more precise and controlled legal concept<\/strong>, limiting unlawful termination to clearly defined circumstances.<\/p>

                                This approach:<\/p>

                                • Enhances legal certainty<\/li>
                                • Reduces ambiguity<\/li>
                                • Places a structured burden of proof on the employee<\/li><\/ul>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

                                  Unlawful Termination of Employment in the UAE The concept commonly referred to as \u201carbitrary dismissal\u201d is one of the most frequent issues in employment disputes, due to its direct impact on an employee\u2019s professional and social stability, as well as the legal and financial consequences it imposes on both parties of the employment relationship. However, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":6409,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6406","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-dubai"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/intelligentlegalservices.ae\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6406","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/intelligentlegalservices.ae\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/intelligentlegalservices.ae\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/intelligentlegalservices.ae\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/intelligentlegalservices.ae\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6406"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/intelligentlegalservices.ae\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6406\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6417,"href":"https:\/\/intelligentlegalservices.ae\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6406\/revisions\/6417"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/intelligentlegalservices.ae\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6409"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/intelligentlegalservices.ae\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6406"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/intelligentlegalservices.ae\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6406"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/intelligentlegalservices.ae\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6406"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}