Can my employer deduct money from my salary for damages or mistakes in the UAE?

Your employer cannot simply take a large slice of your salary because of an accident. The UAE Labour Law only allows deductions in defined situations, and recovering the cost of damage caused by a worker is one of them, but with strict limits: the amount deducted for damage in any one month is capped at five days' wage, and going beyond that needs court approval. On top of that, total deductions from your monthly pay, from all causes combined, cannot exceed half your wage. A one-off deduction of a big part of your salary, imposed without any agreed procedure, investigation, or acknowledgment from you, is very likely unlawful. It also matters that nothing about deductions was explained in your contract. Ask the company in writing for the legal basis and the calculation behind the deduction, and keep a copy of the accident report if one exists. If they will not return the excess, file a complaint with MOHRE, which can order wrongly withheld wages repaid. Speaking with a UAE labour lawyer before escalating can clarify whether the deduction was lawful in your case and how much you can recover.