Building Trust, Sustaining ComplianceComprehensive Advisory for UAE Mainland Employers
Employment and labour law in the UAE is governed through multiple legal regimes, each with distinct statutory frameworks, regulatory authorities, and dispute resolution mechanisms. Businesses operating across the UAE, despite mainland or freezones, must navigate these parallel systems carefully to ensure compliance, workforce stability, and risk mitigation.
ATB Legal provides comprehensive employment and labour law advisory services across all the UAE jurisdictions, including the UAE Mainland, specific English Common Law jurisdictions like DIFC and ADGM, and all the freezones in the UAE. We support employers, founders, senior executives, and HR teams on the full lifecycle of employment—ranging from structuring compliant contracts and policies to managing workforce disputes, terminations, and regulatory investigations. We also undertake investigations, employee relief cases, including pro bono practices within the ADGM and DIFC Courts.
ATB Legal provides comprehensive employment and labour law advisory services across all the UAE jurisdictions, including the UAE Mainland, specific English Common Law jurisdictions like DIFC and ADGM, and all the freezones in the UAE. We support employers, founders, senior executives, and HR teams on the full lifecycle of employment—ranging from structuring compliant contracts and policies to managing workforce disputes, terminations, and regulatory investigations. We also undertake investigations, employee relief cases, including pro bono practices within the ADGM and DIFC Courts.
This page discusses employment law in the context of UAE Mainland. For employment matters in DIFC and ADGM jurisdictions, kindly refer the respective pages at ADGM Labour Law and DIFC Labour Law.
Employment law compliance in the UAE is not uniform. The UAE Mainland, Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), and Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) each operate under separate legislative and regulatory regimes. Misalignment between employment structures and the applicable law can result in regulatory penalties, unenforceable contracts, reputational exposure, and costly disputes.
Our employment law practice is structured to provide jurisdiction-specific advice while maintaining a consistent commercial and risk-focused approach.
- UAE Mainland Employment Law
Employment relationships in the UAE Mainland are governed primarily by Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021, as amended, and its implementing regulations. These laws apply to the majority of private sector employers operating outside financial free zones.
We assist with:
- Drafting and reviewing compliant employment contracts
- Advisory on probation, notice periods, working hours, leave entitlements, and wage protection
- Structuring termination strategies, redundancy, and end-of-service benefits
- Disciplinary actions and internal investigations
- Emiratisation compliance and workforce localisation obligations
- Employment dispute management before MOHRE and UAE Labour Courts
- Drafting and advising HR Policies, Compliance Calendar, and NDA documents
Our advice balances statutory compliance with practical HR realities, ensuring employment decisions are defensible and commercially sound.
- DIFC Employment Law
The DIFC operates under its own independent employment framework, currently governed by DIFC Employment Law No. 2 of 2019, as amended. The regime is contractual, principles-based, and heavily focused on employee protections and procedural fairness.
We advise DIFC entities on:
- DIFC-compliant employment contracts and staff handbooks
- Equity compensation, bonuses, and variable pay structures
- Workplace grievances, misconduct investigations, and disciplinary processes
- Termination, redundancy, and settlement agreements
- DIFC Courts and Small Claims Tribunal (SCT) employment disputes
- Cross-border secondments and group employment arrangements
Our DIFC practice focuses on aligning HR strategy with DIFC legal expectations while managing litigation and reputational risk.
- ADGM Employment Law
ADGM employment relationships are governed by the ADGM Employment Regulations 2019, as amended. The regime draws heavily from common law principles and emphasizes transparency, contractual clarity, and governance.
We support ADGM entities with:
- Drafting and structuring ADGM-compliant employment documentation
- Senior executive appointments and termination frameworks
- Employee incentive plans and deferred compensation
- Whistleblowing, workplace investigations, and regulatory exposure
- Employment disputes before ADGM Courts
- Alignment between employment law, corporate governance, and regulatory compliance
- Assistance in preparing employee handbook and internal policies, including internal structuring advice among the staff.
Our ADGM employment advisory is particularly suited for regulated entities, investment structures, and professional services firms.
Cross-Jurisdictional Advisory
For businesses operating across multiple UAE jurisdictions, we provide:
- Comparative employment law analysis (Mainland vs DIFC vs ADGM)
- Workforce migration and restructuring strategies
- Group HR policy harmonisation while preserving jurisdictional compliance
- Risk assessments during mergers, acquisitions, and reorganisations
FAQsFrequently Asked Questions- Employment Law Services
1. What laws govern employment in the UAE mainland?
Employment in the UAE mainland is primarily governed by Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 (UAE Labour Law) and its executive regulations issued by MOHRE. These laws apply to all private-sector establishments outside free zones (except DIFC & ADGM, which have their own rules).
2. Does your firm assist both employers and employees?
Yes. We represent employers, employees, HR teams, and corporate groups in all mainland and freezone labour matters, including MOHRE complaints, internal investigations, contract disputes, and litigation.
3. Do you assist with drafting UAE Labour Law-compliant employment contracts?
Absolutely. We prepare legally compliant employment contracts, including:
• unlimited-term contracts (as required under current law)
• managerial/CEO contracts
• part-time, remote, and flexible arrangements
• amendments, addenda, and policy updates
4. Can you represent us in MOHRE disputes or labour court cases?
Yes. We provide end-to-end representation before:
• MOHRE complaint centres
• Mediation offices
• Labour Courts at all levels, both in freezones and mainland
• Appeals and Enforcement departments
5. Do you handle termination, resignation, and settlement cases?
Yes. We advise on unlawful/valid termination; notice period disputes; unpaid wages and gratuity; non-competition and confidentiality issues; settlement negotiations; drafting full & final settlement agreements, cease and desist notices.
6. Can you help with internal HR compliance and company policies?
We create and review:
• employee handbooks
• disciplinary policies
• remote work frameworks
• code of conduct policies
• anti-harassment & anti-discrimination procedures
• performance and bonus policies
All tailored to UAE compliance standards, be it mainland or freezones.
7. Do you assist with visa, work permit, and MOHRE administrative issues?
Yes. We guide clients through work permit applications/cancellations; labour contract uploads on MOHRE systems; labour classification compliance; Emiratization requirements (if applicable).
Employment in the UAE mainland is primarily governed by Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 (UAE Labour Law) and its executive regulations issued by MOHRE. These laws apply to all private-sector establishments outside free zones (except DIFC & ADGM, which have their own rules).
2. Does your firm assist both employers and employees?
Yes. We represent employers, employees, HR teams, and corporate groups in all mainland and freezone labour matters, including MOHRE complaints, internal investigations, contract disputes, and litigation.
3. Do you assist with drafting UAE Labour Law-compliant employment contracts?
Absolutely. We prepare legally compliant employment contracts, including:
• unlimited-term contracts (as required under current law)
• managerial/CEO contracts
• part-time, remote, and flexible arrangements
• amendments, addenda, and policy updates
4. Can you represent us in MOHRE disputes or labour court cases?
Yes. We provide end-to-end representation before:
• MOHRE complaint centres
• Mediation offices
• Labour Courts at all levels, both in freezones and mainland
• Appeals and Enforcement departments
5. Do you handle termination, resignation, and settlement cases?
Yes. We advise on unlawful/valid termination; notice period disputes; unpaid wages and gratuity; non-competition and confidentiality issues; settlement negotiations; drafting full & final settlement agreements, cease and desist notices.
6. Can you help with internal HR compliance and company policies?
We create and review:
• employee handbooks
• disciplinary policies
• remote work frameworks
• code of conduct policies
• anti-harassment & anti-discrimination procedures
• performance and bonus policies
All tailored to UAE compliance standards, be it mainland or freezones.
7. Do you assist with visa, work permit, and MOHRE administrative issues?
Yes. We guide clients through work permit applications/cancellations; labour contract uploads on MOHRE systems; labour classification compliance; Emiratization requirements (if applicable).
Uncompromising Quality Why Choose ATB Legal
ATB Legal offers integrated employment law advisory across all major UAE jurisdictions under a single strategic framework. Our team combines statutory knowledge with commercial insight, enabling clients to manage workforce matters proactively rather than reactively. We are particularly experienced in cross-jurisdictional employment structures, senior executive matters, and dispute-sensitive advisory, ensuring legal compliance without compromising business agility.
Meet The Core Team
Our Team of
Lawyers and Experts
LLB
Ami Denny
LLB
Aparna T Nambissan
LLB
Jose Joseph
Micro Case Studies
Representative Experience
• Advised a multi-jurisdictional corporate group on harmonising employment contracts across the UAE Mainland, DIFC, and ADGM entities following a regional restructuring, ensuring jurisdiction-specific compliance without disrupting employee continuity.
• Represented a DIFC-based professional services firm in managing a complex senior executive termination, including negotiation of settlement terms and mitigation of litigation risk before the DIFC Courts.
• Assisted an ADGM-registered investment entity in drafting executive employment agreements aligned with regulatory governance expectations and long-term incentive structures.
• Supported a UAE Mainland employer through a workforce rationalisation exercise, advising on statutory termination requirements, end-of-service benefits, and dispute prevention strategies.
• Acted for employers in employment-related disputes before MOHRE, UAE Labour Courts, DIFC SCT, and ADGM Courts, focusing on early resolution and commercially efficient outcomes.
• Represented a DIFC-based professional services firm in managing a complex senior executive termination, including negotiation of settlement terms and mitigation of litigation risk before the DIFC Courts.
• Assisted an ADGM-registered investment entity in drafting executive employment agreements aligned with regulatory governance expectations and long-term incentive structures.
• Supported a UAE Mainland employer through a workforce rationalisation exercise, advising on statutory termination requirements, end-of-service benefits, and dispute prevention strategies.
• Acted for employers in employment-related disputes before MOHRE, UAE Labour Courts, DIFC SCT, and ADGM Courts, focusing on early resolution and commercially efficient outcomes.
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