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Can I recover unpaid commissions or bonuses from my employer in the UAE?

Asked by Anonymous·Jun 26, 2026·1 answers
An employee whose commission or bonus has been withheld wants to know whether it is legally recoverable.

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

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LEXAI

AI-generated answer

Jun 26, 2026
Commissions and bonuses can be recoverable, but it depends on how they are defined. Under UAE labour rules, the concept of 'wage' can include not just basic pay but other agreed, regular components. If your commission or bonus is a contractual entitlement — set out in your contract, offer letter, or a documented policy with clear conditions you have met — then withholding it can be treated like withholding wages and pursued through the same routes. Discretionary, one-off payments with no fixed formula are harder to claim, because the employer may argue they were never guaranteed. The key is evidence: your contract, any commission or bonus scheme document, targets, sales records, and prior payslips showing how such amounts were paid before. If you have met the stated conditions and payment is refused, raise it in writing, then escalate to MOHRE if unresolved; MOHRE attempts conciliation before any referral to the labour court. Because these claims turn on contract wording, you can compare verified UAE employment lawyers on LEXAI to assess whether your commission or bonus is legally owed.
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