Skip to main content

Ask a Lawyer·Labour / Employment

Labour / EmploymentAnswered

Is the notice period the same whether I resign or my employer terminates me in the UAE?

Asked by Anonymous·Jun 26, 2026·1 answers
A worker wants to know if notice rules differ depending on who ends the contract.

This answer is AI-generated by LEXAI. It is general legal information, not legal advice — verify anything you act on with a licensed UAE lawyer. How LEXAI uses AI

1 answers

Best answer
L
LEXAI

AI-generated answer

Jun 26, 2026
In most cases the notice period is the same in both directions. UAE Labour Law (Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021) sets a single notice range — not less than 30 and not more than 90 days — that applies whether the worker resigns or the employer terminates, with the exact figure fixed in your contract. Throughout the notice period the employment relationship continues: the worker keeps working and is paid normally, unless both sides agree to a payment in lieu instead. Either party that ends the contract without serving the agreed notice generally owes the other compensation equal to the wage for the un-served period. Different, shorter notice rules apply during the probation period, and a narrow set of serious-misconduct situations allow termination or resignation without any notice. Otherwise, the obligation is symmetrical. Check your signed MOHRE contract for the precise number of days. If your employer applies a different notice to your resignation than the one in your contract, you can raise it with MOHRE and compare verified UAE legal professionals on LEXAI for advice.
Helpful (0)

Facing something similar?

Describe your own situation below. Your details go to our team, and a suitable lawyer in the LEXAI directory may receive them so they can contact you about it.

Pick your situation so your enquiry can reach a suitable lawyer in the LEXAI directory who works in that area.

Your details stay private and are used only to handle your enquiry. Your enquiry may be offered to a suitable lawyer automatically, and may be offered to another if there is no response, so a lawyer can contact you about it. Privacy policy

Related Questions

Underlying law

Keep reading

Labour Employment

UAE Notice Period and Garden Leave: 2026 Guide

How the UAE notice period works under Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 — 30-90 day range, garden-leave mechanics, gratuity and leave accrual during notice, and how far a non-compete actually reaches.

8 min read

Labour Employment

DEWS in the DIFC: How the Employee Workplace Savings Plan Works

Your DIFC employer must pay at least 5.83% of your monthly basic wage into DEWS or another certified scheme every month, rising to 8.33% after five years. Who is covered, how the 50% floor works, what UAE and GCC nationals are owed, and how to get the money out.

5 min read

Labour Employment

Non-Renewal of an Employment Contract in the UAE: Notice, Sample Letter and Final Dues

UAE labour law sets no separate notice period for letting a fixed-term contract expire, but silence can extend it on the same terms. What a non-renewal letter should say, two neutral sample letters, what is owed within 14 days, and the visa steps.

5 min read