Is my employer allowed to deduct for uniforms, training, or equipment in the UAE?

As a rule, the costs of running the business and equipping you to do your job are the employer's responsibility, not something to be silently deducted from your wages. Charges for uniforms, tools, equipment, or general training the employer requires generally do not fall within the specific lawful grounds for wage deductions under the UAE Labour Law, which limit deductions to defined situations and cap the total that can be taken. That said, there can be narrowly defined, properly agreed and documented arrangements — for instance a clearly written agreement about a specific, substantial cost — but these must be genuine, lawful, and within the deduction limits, not a way to shift ordinary operating expenses onto staff. If money is deducted for uniforms, equipment, or training without a clear lawful basis and your written agreement, ask your employer to justify it in writing and keep your contract and payslips. If it is not justified, raise it with MOHRE. To check whether such a deduction is lawful in your case, you can compare verified UAE employment lawyers on LEXAI.