What are my rights if my salary cheque bounced in the UAE?

If you were paid by a cheque that bounced, you have two overlapping avenues. First, as the holder of the cheque, you can use the post-2022 enforcement route: since 2 January 2022 under Federal Decree-Law No. 14 of 2020, an unpaid cheque is an executory instrument you can take, with the bank's non-payment evidence, directly to the execution court to recover the amount, and the bank must release any partial balance. Second, unpaid wages are also an employment matter: in the private sector you can raise a complaint with the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE), which handles wage disputes and can refer unresolved cases onward. These routes can run in parallel — the cheque enforces the specific payment, while the labour complaint addresses your broader entitlement as an employee. Keep the cheque, the bank's return memo and your employment records. Exact procedures and any fees are set by the courts and MOHRE, so confirm them. For help choosing the strongest route, you can compare verified UAE legal professionals on LEXAI.