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A salary that never showed up on time. A termination that felt completely unjustified. Gratuity your employer just won’t release. When something like this happens, knowing exactly how to file a complaint — and doing it within the right window — can be the difference between actually recovering what you’re owed and losing your shot at it entirely.
The reassuring part is that the UAE has built one of the more employee-friendly dispute systems in the region. Under Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 and the amendments that came after it, MOHRE can now issue binding decisions on smaller claims, and workers get twice as long as before to file a dispute. In 2024, nearly 98% of labour disputes were resolved amicably through MOHRE — meaning most people never actually end up in a courtroom.
This guide takes you through the whole process, from figuring out whether you actually have a valid complaint to registering a case with the labour court, if it ever gets that far.
When Should You Actually File?
Before you file anything, it helps to know what counts as a legitimate grievance under UAE law. You likely have grounds for a complaint if your employer has:
- Delayed or skipped your salary on the agreed date
- Withheld your end-of-service gratuity after you left
- Denied you annual leave, sick leave, or maternity leave
- Terminated you without notice, or without a valid reason
- Failed to provide a safe working environment
- Held onto your passport (which is illegal in the UAE, full stop)
- Made you work beyond legal daily or weekly hour limits
- Charged you for your visa, work permit, or recruitment costs — these are the employer’s responsibility, not yours
- Breached your employment contract in any material way
One thing worth knowing upfront: you now have two years from the end of your employment to file a labour claim, double what it used to be. That said, if the dispute is ongoing — say, unpaid wages while you’re still working there — don’t wait. File as soon as the breach happens.
Step 1: Try to Sort It Out Directly First
Before you escalate to MOHRE, it’s worth trying to resolve things with your employer or HR directly. This isn’t just a formality — it’s genuinely the fastest path to a resolution in a lot of cases. A surprising number of disputes come down to administrative mix-ups or miscommunication that can be cleared up internally without much drama.
If a direct conversation doesn’t go anywhere, consider bringing in a neutral mediator — MOHRE offers this, and some companies have their own internal grievance processes. Whatever happens, document it. Save the emails, the WhatsApp messages, the meeting notes. If this ends up escalating, that record becomes your evidence.
Step 2: Get Your Paperwork in Order
A well-documented complaint moves faster, and it lands stronger. Before you file, pull together:
- Your signed employment contract and any amendments
- Salary slips and bank statements showing your payment history
- Your termination letter, if that applies
- Any correspondence with your employer about the dispute
- Your passport copy and Emirates ID
- A MOHRE offer letter or transaction number, if you have one
- Contact details or statements from colleagues who can back up your account
Keep both digital and physical copies. If the case ends up in court, you’ll need originals or certified copies on hand.
Step 3: File With MOHRE
Every private-sector labour complaint in Dubai — and the UAE more broadly — has to go through MOHRE first. You can’t skip straight to court. And the good news is, filing costs nothing.
Ways to File
| Channel | How to Access | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| MOHRE Website | mohre.gov.ae → Services → Register Labour Complaints | Detailed complaints with document uploads |
| MOHRE Mobile App | Available on App Store and Google Play | Quick filing and tracking status on the go |
| Call Centre | 600-590-000 (24/7 for UAE nationals); 80084 for labour claims advisory | Immediate guidance, verbal complaint initiation |
| Twa-fouq Service Centres | Licensed centres across the UAE | In-person support, legal advice, and mediation |
What Happens Once You’ve Filed
A legal advisor from a Twa-fouq Centre will typically reach out within 72 hours to talk through your case. You’ll get a transaction number — hold onto it, since that’s how you’ll track your complaint through the MOHRE Inquiry Services portal.
Step 4: The 14-Day Amicable Settlement Window
MOHRE’s main goal here is to settle things without anyone going to court. Under Ministerial Resolution No. 47 of 2022, the Ministry has 14 working days from the date you filed to try to reach an amicable settlement with your employer.
During this window:
- A MOHRE officer or Twa-fouq advisor contacts both you and your employer
- You may get invited to a meeting or phone discussion
- The advisor reviews the evidence and makes recommendations
- If both sides agree, the settlement becomes binding and gets recorded
This is where most cases actually get resolved — nearly 98% of labour disputes in 2024 were settled this way, and most workers who file get their dues back through this streamlined route without ever needing to go further.
Step 5: MOHRE Decision or Court Referral
If amicable settlement doesn’t work out, what happens next depends entirely on how much you’re claiming.
Claims Under AED 50,000: MOHRE Decides
Since 1 January 2024, MOHRE has had the final say on individual labour disputes worth AED 50,000 or less — and this applies whether you’re a private-sector worker, a domestic worker, or dealing with a recruitment agency dispute.
This changed things considerably. It used to be that even a small claim meant going through the courts. Now MOHRE can simply order your employer to pay you directly, cutting out months of litigation.
If you’re not happy with MOHRE’s decision, you have 15 working days — not calendar days — from notification to appeal to the Court of Appeals, which then has to schedule a hearing within 3 working days. Your employer gets the same 15-day window if they want to appeal. If neither side does, MOHRE’s decision simply becomes enforceable.
Claims Over AED 50,000: Off to Labour Court
If your claim is worth more than AED 50,000, or amicable settlement fails regardless of amount, MOHRE refers the case to the labour court. Along with the referral, the Ministry provides:
- A summary of the dispute
- Both sides’ arguments
- Its own recommendation
The court then has to set a hearing date and notify both parties within 3 days of receiving the referral.
Step 6: Registering Your Case With the Court
If your case gets referred to the judiciary, you’ll need to move quickly.
Deadlines You Really Don’t Want to Miss
| Action | Deadline | Consequence of Missing It |
|---|---|---|
| Register complaint with court | 14 days from MOHRE referral approval | Case may be dismissed, or your rights forfeited |
| Cancel original work permit (if employment ended) | 14 days from final judgment | Administrative complications |
| Appeal a MOHRE decision (under AED 50k) | 15 working days from notification | Decision becomes final and binding |
What You’ll Actually Pay
Here’s some good news for a change: workers don’t pay judicial fees at all for labour claims under AED 100,000, at any stage of litigation or enforcement.
For claims above that threshold, standard court fees kick in and vary depending on the emirate. In Dubai, filing fees for higher-value labour disputes typically start around AED 5,000.
While the Case Is Pending
Wage protection. If your dispute involves unpaid wages, MOHRE can direct your employer to keep paying your salary for up to two months while the case works its way through — which helps keep you from hitting financial trouble mid-litigation.
Working elsewhere. If your complaint results in you no longer working, you generally can’t take another job without a temporary work permit from MOHRE. The good news is MOHRE does allow applications for these temporary permits while a case is pending — the exception being if your employer reported you absent. And if your work permit gets cancelled because of the dispute, that cancellation takes effect 6 months from the date of court referral, assuming the complaint caused a work stoppage.
A Couple of Special Cases
Free zone employees. If you work in a UAE free zone — DIFC, DMCC, JAFZA, and so on — your process might look a bit different. Some free zones run their own employment regulations and dispute mechanisms, though many free zone workers can still go through MOHRE. It’s worth checking with your specific free zone authority, or calling MOHRE’s Labour Claims and Advisory Call Centre at 80084 for guidance.
Domestic workers. If you’re a maid, driver, nanny, or similar, you actually fall under a separate law — Federal Decree-Law No. 9 of 2022 — rather than the standard private-sector framework. You can still file through MOHRE’s dedicated domestic worker channels: the website, the app, or Tasheel service centres.
What’s Changed Recently (2025–2026)
A few notable updates worth knowing about:
- Two years to file, not one. Employees now have two full years from the end of their employment to bring a claim, giving people much more room to gather evidence and get proper legal advice.
- MOHRE’s binding authority on small claims. The January 2024 change giving MOHRE final say on claims under AED 50,000 has meaningfully cut down court backlogs and sped up outcomes for lower-wage workers.
- New wage protection rules from June 2026. Ministerial Resolution No. 340 of 2026 tightens enforcement around late salary payments. From the 16th day of non-payment, MOHRE can automatically register a labour dispute and suspend work permits for non-compliant employers with 25 or more staff.
- Steeper penalties. Fines for labour law violations now run from AED 100,000 to AED 1 million, which puts real pressure on employers to stay compliant.
Mistakes That Can Cost You
| Mistake | Why It Hurts |
|---|---|
| Waiting too long to file | The 30-day window for some complaints, and the 14-day court registration deadline, are both strict |
| Poor documentation | Vague complaints with no evidence slow everything down and weaken your position later |
| Not tracking your complaint | Use your transaction number to check progress — MOHRE won’t necessarily update you proactively |
| Taking a new job without approval | Can invalidate your complaint or trigger administrative penalties |
| Missing the 15-working-day appeal window | Only working days count — weekends and public holidays are excluded |
| Missing the 14-day court registration deadline | If your case is referred to the judiciary, this is the deadline that matters most |
A Few Tips for a Better Outcome
- Stick to the facts. Dates, amounts, contract clauses. Emotional appeals don’t move a legal case forward, even when the frustration is completely justified.
- Respond quickly. When MOHRE or the court reaches out, reply within the timeframe they give you. Delays can read as disinterest, even if that’s not what’s going on.
- Think about legal representation. For complicated or high-value claims, a UAE labour lawyer can make sure you’re not missing procedural steps and help you get the most out of your claim.
- Show up. Whether it’s a mediation session or a court hearing, your presence — in person or virtual — actually matters.
- Know what you’re owed. Run the numbers through a UAE gratuity calculator before you go into any negotiation, so you know exactly what you’re asking for.
- Keep it professional. Even if your employer handled things badly, staying professional throughout helps you — courts and mediators do pay attention to conduct on both sides.
The Bottom Line
Filing a labour complaint in Dubai isn’t the intimidating, expensive, drawn-out process it used to be. Between MOHRE’s expanded authority, digital filing options, and a 98% amicable settlement rate, most people can resolve their disputes quickly and never see the inside of a courtroom.
The key is simple: act promptly, document everything, and follow the right channels in the right order. Whether it’s a month’s unpaid salary or a year’s worth of gratuity you’re chasing, the legal framework here is built to protect you — but it only works if you actually use it.
If you’re dealing with a dispute right now, don’t let uncertainty hold you back. File with MOHRE. Your transaction number is the first real step toward getting this resolved.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For case-specific guidance, consult a licensed UAE employment lawyer or contact MOHRE directly at 600-590-000.