Can my employer deduct salary for absence or coming late to work in the UAE?

An employer may, in principle, not pay wages for time you genuinely did not work — for example unauthorised absence — but this is different from imposing arbitrary financial penalties for lateness. The UAE Labour Law treats deductions and disciplinary measures as governed by clear rules: any penalty must relate to defined misconduct, follow a fair process, and stay within the limits the law sets, including caps on how much can be withheld. Docking a disproportionate amount for a few minutes' lateness, or stacking penalties beyond what the law allows, is not lawful. Authorised leave, public holidays, and other protected absences cannot be used as a basis to cut your pay. If you believe deductions for absence or lateness are excessive or applied without a proper basis, keep your attendance records, contract, and payslips, and ask your employer in writing to explain each deduction. You can then raise it with MOHRE. To check whether an absence or lateness deduction is within the law, you can compare verified UAE employment lawyers on LEXAI.