HI Guys,
A little advice please - I arrived here 1 month ago to begin work at a (very) well known night club.
Unfortunately there was an accident while I was working, and a local woman from Abu Dhabi was injured. The club security guards could have avoided the accident completely if they had acted correctly but they didn't. I am now being blamed, and the Injured woman is claiming that she will sue the club unless I am sent home and she sees a copy of my visa cancellation document.
The club management are apologetic, have told me that they have no problem with me, my work, or my skills, and would like to have me back at work, but to avoid a fiasco with the courts or press they have terminated my contract as "it's dubai and we have to do something".
They have begun applying for my visa to be cancelled, and have made me sign a termination letter. Where I signed though it just said that I had received the letter and on what date, not that I was resigning.
They have told me that I will be paid until the day I leave the country, but I have checked the UAE labour laws and have a feeling that I should be entitled to more than that, no?
Initially (before arriving in Dubai) I was told that I would be working for at least 2 months, and since arriving had discussed with my manager that I would be extending my contract until the new year, until the accident happened. However, my actual contract has no definitive start or end date, saying only that It will start on "first reporting day to work" (this was the 16th October)- no mention of 2 months or any time period. Does this mean it is an unlimited contract?
I usually work freelance in my own country, and have turned down other work as I believed I would be employed here. Am I entitled to further renumeration than just being paid until the day I leave?
Further to this, no notice period has been given, as the woman has said that she will check the club to make sure that I am not working - If I am she will go immediately to the police/ begin a court case. This means that I am essentially stuck in my accommodation, unable to work, and I have yet to be given any wages or tips from the work completed so am naturally quite worried!
Any help that you can give would be amazing. I understand that the club want to hush up the whole thing to avoid it getting to the press or courts, but surely not at my expense!
many thanks,
Converted