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Generally, no — completing at least one year of service entitles you to end-of-service gratuity under the current UAE Labour Law (Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021), administered by MOHRE, and the reason for termination does not automatically strip it. This is different from the older law, which allowed gratuity to be forfeited in certain summary-dismissal situations. Under the present framework, once you have served a qualifying year you are normally entitled to gratuity calculated on the standard formula (21 days' basic wage per year for the first five years, 30 days thereafter, capped at two years' wages), whether you resigned or were dismissed. An employer may still terminate for serious cause and may pursue separate claims for genuine losses you caused, but that is distinct from cancelling the gratuity itself. Because dismissal-for-misconduct cases can be contested and fact-specific, it is wise to confirm your position. If your employer withholds gratuity on misconduct grounds, you can challenge it through MOHRE or compare verified UAE employment lawyers on LEXAI to assess your case.

DIFC employees are treated differently from mainland UAE workers. Since 2020, the DIFC replaced the traditional lump-sum end-of-service gratuity with the DIFC Employee Workplace Savings (DEWS) plan, a funded scheme governed by DIFC Employment Law. Instead of accruing a gratuity paid at the end, your employer makes regular monthly contributions into the DEWS plan (or a qualifying alternative scheme) based on your basic salary, and those contributions are invested and paid to you when you leave. The contribution rate is set by the DIFC framework and rises with length of service, so confirm your applicable rate and any service that pre-dates the scheme — service accrued before DEWS began may still carry a legacy gratuity entitlement up to that point. Because DEWS is contribution-based, your final benefit reflects what was paid in plus investment performance, not the mainland 21/30-day formula. Check your DIFC employment contract and DEWS statements for your balance. For disputes over contributions or pre-DEWS service, you can review the DIFC rules or compare verified UAE employment lawyers on LEXAI.

Yes, domestic workers in the UAE are entitled to end-of-service benefits, but they are covered by a separate law rather than the main private-sector Labour Law. Domestic workers — such as housemaids, drivers, nannies, cooks, and gardeners — fall under the UAE's dedicated domestic workers law (Federal Decree-Law No. 9 of 2022), administered by MOHRE. That law provides for an end-of-service gratuity for eligible domestic workers who complete the required period of continuous service, calculated by reference to their wage. Because the domestic-workers regime sits outside the general Labour Law, you should confirm the exact qualifying period and accrual basis from MOHRE or the domestic workers law itself rather than assuming the standard 21/30-day private-sector formula applies in identical form. Domestic workers are also entitled to other protections such as paid leave and timely wage payment. If a domestic worker's end-of-service benefit is withheld, the matter can be raised with MOHRE, which oversees domestic-worker complaints. For a disputed entitlement, you can compare verified UAE employment lawyers on LEXAI.

Yes. If your employer terminates you without you being at fault, you remain entitled to your full end-of-service gratuity in the UAE, provided you have completed at least one continuous year of service. Under the UAE Labour Law (Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021), administered by MOHRE, gratuity is calculated the same way regardless of who ended the contract: 21 days' basic wage per year for the first five years and 30 days per year thereafter, on basic salary, capped at two years' wages. Beyond gratuity, a termination without a valid lawful reason can also give rise to additional entitlements — for example, notice-period pay and, where a dismissal is found to be arbitrary or unlawful, possible compensation, which MOHRE and the labour courts can assess. Your final settlement should also include unpaid wages and accrued annual leave. If your employer refuses to pay gratuity or other dues on termination, you can file a complaint with MOHRE. To assess whether you may have an arbitrary-dismissal claim on top of gratuity, you can compare verified UAE employment lawyers on LEXAI.

Generally yes — once you are confirmed in your role, your probation period counts toward your continuous service for end-of-service gratuity in the UAE. Under the UAE Labour Law (Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021), administered by MOHRE, your service is treated as continuous from your start date, so the probation months are included when you later cross the one-year qualifying threshold and when your total service is calculated. The clock does not restart after probation ends. However, if you leave or are let go during probation before completing one full year of service, no gratuity is payable for that incomplete period, because the one-year minimum eligibility rule still applies. The gratuity formula remains the same: 21 days' basic wage per year for the first five years and 30 days thereafter, on basic salary, capped at two years' wages. There are also specific notice and procedural rules that apply during probation itself. If your employer excludes your probation from the service count after you completed a year, you can challenge it with MOHRE or compare verified UAE employment lawyers on LEXAI.

Yes. Any annual leave you have accrued but not taken is paid to you in cash as part of your final settlement. This applies however your employment ends — resignation, termination by the employer, or expiry of your contract. Under the UAE Labour Law (Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021), administered by MOHRE, you are entitled to payment for your untaken leave balance. How the amount is worked out: the leave-encashment component is generally calculated on the basic wage for those leave days. So take your daily basic wage and multiply it by the number of accrued leave days still owed to you at your departure date. The law sets out the wage definition used for end-of-service purposes, so confirm the exact basis that applies to your contract with your employer or with MOHRE. Leave pay is not the same as gratuity. Gratuity rewards your length of service; leave encashment compensates you for holiday you earned but did not use. They are separate entitlements and should appear as separate lines. A complete final settlement should cover any unpaid salary, your accrued leave payment, and your gratuity if you completed at least one year of service. Check the figure before you sign anything. You should receive a clear breakdown showing how the amount was reached. Employers sometimes miscount the leave balance, or apply the wrong wage figure to it, so check both the number of days and the rate used against your own records. If the leave payment is missing or looks wrong, ask your employer for a written explanation first. If that does not resolve it, you can file a complaint with the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE). You can also compare verified UAE employment lawyers on LEXAI to review your settlement before you accept it.

Yes — for gratuity purposes, your service is generally tied to a single employer, so moving to a new UAE company starts a fresh service period. Under the UAE Labour Law (Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021), administered by MOHRE, your end-of-service gratuity is calculated based on continuous service with the same employer; when you resign and join a different company, your previous employer settles the gratuity earned during your time with them, and your tenure with the new employer begins from zero. That means each job builds its own gratuity, and the one-year minimum eligibility applies separately to each. There are limited situations — such as a genuine transfer of the business or undertaking to a new owner where employment continues — in which service may be preserved rather than reset; whether that applies depends on the specific arrangement. When you leave the first employer, make sure they pay the gratuity you accrued there as part of your final settlement. If a former employer fails to pay out your earned gratuity on departure, you can raise it with MOHRE or compare verified UAE employment lawyers on LEXAI.

Yes, to a degree. Under the UAE Labour Law (Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021), the employer may set the dates of annual leave according to work requirements and should give the employee reasonable notice. Many employers schedule leave around operational needs, and where business demands require it, leave can sometimes be split or arranged across the year. However, the right to the leave itself cannot be cancelled — the employer can influence timing, not whether you receive your statutory entitlement. Where the employer carries leave over, the law limits how leave can be deferred or paid in lieu, so an employer cannot indefinitely prevent you from taking it. If you and your employer disagree on dates, it is best to request the arrangement in writing first. Persistent refusal to allow accrued leave can be raised with the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE). For a contract review or a dispute that is escalating, you can compare verified UAE legal professionals on LEXAI who focus on employment law.

Yes. Under the UAE Labour Law (Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021), when your employment ends — whether by resignation, termination or expiry of contract — you are entitled to be paid for any annual leave you accrued but did not take. This payment is part of your end-of-service settlement, alongside any gratuity and outstanding wages. The cash value of accrued leave is calculated based on your wage as defined by the law; the leave-encashment component is generally calculated on the basic wage, so confirm the exact basis with your employer or MOHRE for your contract. You should receive a clear breakdown of how the figure was reached. If your final settlement omits accrued leave or the calculation looks wrong, you can request a written explanation and, if unresolved, file a complaint with the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE). Because end-of-service math combines several elements, it is worth checking each line. You can compare verified UAE legal professionals on LEXAI if you need help reviewing your settlement.

Under the UAE Labour Law (Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021), after completing your probation period you are entitled to sick leave of up to 90 days per year, which can be continuous or intermittent. To claim it, you must notify your employer of your illness, usually within a short period, and provide a medical report from an approved medical authority. The 90 days are paid in bands rather than all at full pay: the first 15 days are at full wage, the next 30 days at half wage, and the remaining period without pay. Sick leave is intended for genuine illness supported by medical evidence, and an employer should not penalise you for taking properly documented sick leave within your entitlement. If your illness results from your own misconduct, the pay rules can differ. If your employer refuses documented sick leave or withholds the pay due, you can raise the issue with the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE), or seek help from verified UAE legal professionals on LEXAI.