UAE notice period rules: 30, 60 or 90 days? What workers must know

Dubai: Planning to resign from your job or received a better offer from another company? Before handing in your resignation, it is important to check how much notice you are required to serve under your employment contract.

In the UAE, notice periods generally range from 30 to 90 days, depending on the terms of your contract. But can you leave earlier, and what happens if you don't complete your notice period?

Here is what UAE Labour Law says about notice periods, salary entitlements and the rules for employees on probation.

A notice period is the amount of time an employee or employer must provide before terminating an employment contract.

Both parties are required to follow the notice period specified in the employment contract, whether an employee decides to resign or an employer terminates their employment.

Under Article 43 of Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021, which governs private-sector employment, the notice period must be:

The exact duration depends on the terms of your employment contract registered with the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE).

The same notice period applies to both the employer and employee, unless a different arrangement benefits the worker.

If your employer requires you to. Under Article 43, your employment contract remains valid throughout the notice period, and you are entitled to receive your full salary based on your last wage.

However, you and your employer can mutually agree to waive or shorten the notice period, provided your legal entitlements are protected.

If you resign or your employer terminates your contract without complying with the required notice period, the party that fails to provide notice must pay compensation to the other party. This is known as notice period allowance.

The compensation is equivalent to the employee's wage for the entire notice period or the remaining unserved portion.

If your employer terminates your employment contract, you are entitled to one unpaid working day per week during the notice period to search for another job.

You can choose which day to take off, but you must inform your employer at least three days in advance. This entitlement specifically applies when the employer terminates the contract.

Different notice period rules apply to employees who are still serving probation, under Article 9 of UAE Labour Law.

If you want to join another UAE employer:

You must give your current employer at least one month's written notice. The new employer must compensate your previous employer for recruitment or contracting costs, unless otherwise agreed.

If you want to leave the UAE:

You must provide at least 14 days' written notice before terminating your contract.

If you return to the UAE and obtain a new work permit within three months of departure, your new employer may be required to compensate your previous employer for recruitment costs, unless otherwise agreed.

The party that fails to comply with the notice requirements must compensate the other party for the unserved notice period.

Additionally, a foreign worker who leaves the UAE without complying with the probation notice requirements may face a one-year labour ban on obtaining a new UAE work permit, subject to applicable legal exemptions.