Rules that govern terminations

Employees faced with termination must be given 30 days notice if they have completed their probationary period, experts say.

DUBAI // Employees who complete their probationary period are entitled to a minimum 30-day notice if terminated under labour law.

"If an employee is terminated and asked to leave immediately, he or she is entitled to a full, 30-day salary, and, in addition to that, a maximum three months' pay of the full salary as compensation," said Dr Ali al Jarman, a managing partner at Prestige Advocates & Legal Consultants in Dubai.

If a worker has been let go during their probation, which is a maximum of six months, the employer need not give notice and may ask the person to leave without compensation.

An official from the Ministry of Labour, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said employees could file complaints directly to the ministry.

However, the ministry does not have authority over all institutions.

When there is a dispute against certain companies, the aggrieved parties must resolve the dispute, or the matter goes to court, according to Sultan al Midfa, the chief executive of the couriers Empost, who said his firm was among those not governed by the ministry.

"A person employed in a government-owned institution can raise his claims to a dispute committee in the organisation itself, and cannot go to the Ministry of Labour," he said.