captainjack

In the UAE and have a dispute with my Employer, any reputable/recommended lawyers anyone knows about/have used for Labour law disputes?

IKnowNothing

You realise it will take upwards of 2 years to get settled (due to the huge backlog in the labour courts), and then you'll be lucky to get a thing anyway if the company don't pay and will have lost upwards of 50,000 on lawyer's fees.

Negotiate with the company - or employ someone to do it on your behalf. Like detainedindubai.

Ditzy

Have you tried going to speak to the Labour Department? That is usually a good first step as it is free and they will know who is in the right. There is a Labour Department desk in the Al Manara municipality centre, if you don't fancy going to the actual Labour Dept. Hope it helps!

Meow

Have you registered a complaint with MOHRE? (Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation, MoL as was.) That should be your first step. You can either go to a local labour office or call their helpline on 800 665.

Hiring a lawyer is expensive and is so many cases I come across it simply isn't worth it for the sums involved. MOHRE is usually helpful and supportive of employees in genuine cases.

Dubaiexile

I have to agree, if you go and visit them and be humble, with plenty of yes sirs etc and I am just a dumb expat and acknowledge your superiority when it comes to dealing with your thieving, conniving two faced compatriots, it should go very well....seriously they are quite helpful at arbitrating.

captainjack

Thanks for all the advice - I have filed a case and the company has responded after 48 hrs warning me if I continue with my case they will file a case against me.


Is that possible?!? I have no issues with them filing a case against me as I will contest and fight their allegations/lies. Can a case be filed AFTER I have filed a labour law dispute?


I know if a complaint is filed against me I cant leave the country and they will draw the case out for a year (as they have done with existing employees that have taken them to court) and with no job at the moment I wont last financially.


In this scenario I think the best bet is to hire a lawyer to represent me and I return back to my home country. This way at least if I secure employment globally I can move and start.

mission

whats the beef ie what happened?

captainjack

Dismissed under the re-structuring guise. However I caught the company out, accepting CVs for my post and scheduled interviews for the past 3 months. Confronted them and hence terminated on the spot, verbally said I breached confidential data but done such a good job so on paper labeled as re-structuring. That's not re-structuring, thats replacing - with no work/performance/character complaints that dismissal comes under arbitrary law dismissal.

Did not access or breach any confidential data that I'm not allowed to access - only person in entire company responsible for the management of data. Hence why I'm ready to fight. Basically, in laymans terms, its like firing an accountant for looking at figures in the books and the figures not balancing out and raising the alarm.

So the threat is I cannot reveal anything as all info is confidential in the company and will file a case against me for breaching data etc. if I persist in the case.

Meow

They are trying to bully you into backing down but it sounds as if you have a strong case and they don't.

If you want to engage a lawyer here are a couple I can recommend. Both of them should give you 30 minutes free of charge but check first.

https://united-arab-emirates.taylorw...thenji-macanda

Emoployment | James Berry & Associates

captainjack

I do but justice costs and I dont have the reserves they do to stay and fight without employment/income.

If they file a case then I'm trapped here which is the concern.

I tried calling both lawyers but they no longer do free consultations. Thank you nevertheless for responding and reaching out.

Does anyone else know of any lawyers offering free consultations pls?

Not just for me but also will be used for others looking to fight back against employers abusing the system.

In a nutshell, what I sense is why they are refusing to pay the 3 months arbitrary pay is if they lose the court case they have to pay a max. 3 months but it can take upto a year everyone is telling me which is a hollow victory in the long run.

mission

so sorry to hear that I wish you the very best of luck and it's good to see that you aren't taking this lying down....companies like these need to be strung up by their short and curlies! What nationality is the company?

captainjack

Nationality isnt the problem - mixed culture in the company its the ethics etc.

Does anyone know then of any lawyers that offer free consultations?

carcajou

Total waste of time to fight this. The UAE is not the UK.

If your pockets are shallow and you need a job - best to move on as quickly as possible.

scot47

Walk away - that is my advice.

captainjack

Normal circumstances I would - ie genuine restructuring but the coverup is worse than the crime.

Its 1 of those scenarios stuck in my head, if I dont take a stand when will I?

Aye might not be the battle to take but there is only so many times you will let an injustice occur and just let it happen/watch it happen.

Sometimes you just have to say enough is enough, I will not walk away this time and accept this treatment.