UAE Labour Law: Rules on absenteeism and probation resignation

Under the UAE Labour Law (Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021), specific regulations govern employee absenteeism and resignations during probation periods.

Regarding absenteeism, Article 44 allows for summary dismissal without notice if an employee is absent without a legitimate reason for more than 20 non-consecutive days within a year, or more than seven consecutive days. For less severe attendance issues, such as occasional lateness, employers are generally expected to use notice-based termination or disciplinary measures rather than immediate dismissal.

For employees in their probationary period, which cannot exceed six months, resignation is permitted provided notice requirements are met. Employees moving to another job within the UAE must provide at least one month of written notice, while those leaving the country must provide 14 days of written notice. While employees are paid up to their last working day, they are not entitled to end-of-service gratuity, as this benefit requires one full year of continuous service.