Teacher wins Dh81,750 end-of-service dispute in Abu Dhabi

Veteran teacher receives compensation after 34 years of service at the school

Last updated: October 27, 2025 | 11:15

2 MIN READ

The court ruled the teacher is entitled to gratuity and unpaid leave.

Abu Dhabi: The Abu Dhabi Labour Court of First Instance has ordered a private school to pay a teacher Dh81,750 in end-of-service gratuity and annual leave compensation for the past 10 years, following 34 years of service with a monthly salary of Dh3,000, Emarat Al Youm reported.

According to court documents, the teacher filed a lawsuit against the school seeking her end-of-service benefits, litigation costs, and immediate enforcement of the ruling. She stated that she had been employed by the defendant from 1991 to 2025, earning a total monthly salary of Dh3,000.

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In response, the school’s legal representative asked the court to dismiss the case, claiming the demands were unfounded. Alternatively, the representative argued that the current owner should not be held liable for any dues before 2022, the year the school’s ownership changed hands, and that such obligations should fall on the former owner.

However, the court rejected this defence, citing Article 48 of the Labour Relations Regulation Law, which states that employment contracts remain valid after a business changes ownership or legal status, and that the new employer is responsible for fulfilling all related obligations.

The court confirmed that the teacher had been employed continuously for 34 years with a fixed monthly salary of Dh3,000, entitling her to gratuity in line with UAE Labour Law.

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Under the law, a full-time worker who has completed at least one year of continuous service is entitled to an end-of-service gratuity based on their basic salary — 21 days’ pay for each of the first five years and 30 days’ pay for each subsequent year, capped at two years’ basic salary. Based on these calculations, the court ruled that the teacher was owed Dh81,750.

The court also awarded Dh9,750 in compensation for unused annual leave over the past 10 years, noting that the school failed to provide proof of payment. It ordered the school to pay the total amount immediately and bear all legal fees and expenses.

Khitam Al AmirChief News Editor

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