A dispute over salary, end-of-service gratuity or dismissal has a clear official route in the UAE that starts at the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation, not directly at court. Knowing the deadlines matters, because a claim filed too late is no longer heard. This article is based on the "Resolving labour disputes" page of the official UAE Government portal (`u.ae`), checked on 25 October 2026.
Who complains and how?
| Subject | Official rule |
|---|---|
| Complainant | Both the employer and the employee |
| Channels | The ministry's website, the ministry's app on the App Store and Google Play, phone 600590000 for complaints by UAE citizens, service centres |
| Advice and claims | The Labour Claims and Advisory Call Centre, toll-free 80084 |
Process and deadlines
| Step | Official rule |
|---|---|
| 1. Review and settlement | The ministry reviews the request and acts to reach an amicable settlement |
| 2. Settlement period | If no settlement is reached within 14 days of the request, the ministry refers the dispute to the competent court |
| 3. Referral memorandum | A summary of the dispute, both parties' arguments and the ministry's recommendation |
| 4. Court hearing | The court sets a hearing within three days of receiving the request and notifies both parties |
| 5. Penalties for the employer | Penalties or administrative action against the employer only after the dispute is resolved |
The ministry's power to decide
| Case | Result |
|---|---|
| Claim below AED 50,000 | The ministry issues a final decision |
| Amicable settlement by both parties, of any amount | The ministry issues a final decision |
| Claim above AED 50,000 without agreement | The ministry refers the case to the judiciary |
The deadline for objecting to a ministry decision is not on this page.
Claim deadline and court fees
| Subject | Official rule |
|---|---|
| Deadline | No claim for a right is heard after one year from the date of the violation |
| Court fees | A worker or their heirs are exempt from court fees at all stages of litigation and enforcement for claims below AED 100,000 |
Obligations of a worker whose case has gone to court
- registering the complaint with the competent court within 14 days of the referral being approved;
- not working for another employer without a temporary work permit;
- if employment has ended, applying to cancel the original work permit within 14 days of the final judgment;
- applying for a temporary work permit with a new employer during the case, unless the employer has reported them absent.
The page also gives two more rules: if the complaint causes the worker to stop working, their work permit is cancelled 6 months after the referral date; and a worker who keeps working for the same employer while the court is hearing the case may claim two months' salary.
What the text of the law adds
Article 54 of the Labour Law on individual disputes has several points that the portal page covers briefly:
| Subject | Text of the law |
|---|---|
| Start | Either party entitled to a right under the law submits a request to the ministry, which acts for an amicable settlement |
| Settlement period | The period set by the Implementing Regulation; the portal page gives it as 14 days |
| Salary during the dispute | If the dispute causes salary payments to stop, the ministry may oblige the employer to pay the worker's salary for up to two months |
| Preventive measures | The minister may impose other administrative measures to prevent an individual dispute from becoming a collective dispute harmful to the public interest |
| Court | Sets a hearing within 3 working days of receiving the request and decides as soon as possible |
Article 55 gives the court fee exemption for requests by workers or their heirs up to AED 100,000 and says the Cabinet may raise or lower this amount. Article 56 provides a separate "collective dispute" procedure for disputes between the employer and all or a group of its employees.
Two examples
These examples are hypothetical and only apply the official rules above.
Example 1: AED 30,000 of unpaid salary. An employee is owed AED 30,000 in unpaid salary and complains to the ministry.
| Question | Answer under the official rules |
|---|---|
| Who decides? | The claim is below AED 50,000; if there is no settlement, the ministry issues a final decision |
| Court fees | If it goes to court, the worker is exempt because the claim is below AED 100,000 |
| Deadline | It must be filed before one year has passed from the date of the violation |
Example 2: an AED 80,000 claim after employment ends. After their employment ends, an employee claims AED 80,000 in salary and gratuity and there is no settlement.
| Step | Timing |
|---|---|
| The ministry's attempt to settle | Up to 14 days |
| Referral to court | Because it is above AED 50,000 and there is no agreement |
| The worker registers the complaint in court | Within 14 days of the referral being approved |
| Court hearing | Within three days of receiving the request |
| Court fees | Exempt, because it is below AED 100,000 |
Practical points
- Take the one-year deadline seriously; file your complaint early.
- Keep the contract, payslips, messages and any document that supports your claim.
- If your case goes to court, do not miss the 14-day deadline for registering it in court.
- Do not work for another employer without a temporary work permit.
- See the rules on ending a contract in the article "Ending an employment contract in the UAE" and salary payment in the article "The Wage Protection System in the UAE".
Royal Golden does not give legal advice. This article is general information, and the decision on any dispute rests with the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation and the competent UAE courts.
Sources
- UAE Government portal, Resolving labour disputes — https://u.ae/en/information-and-services/jobs/Sector-of-employment/employment-in-the-private-sector/labour-dispute (checked on 25 October 2026)
- UAE Government portal, unofficial English text of Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 regarding the regulation of employment relationships — https://assets.u.ae/api/public/content/eb65a60bbff949fa912eddd566613014?v=7174ed78 (checked on 25 October 2026)