Dubai Forums Dubai Expat Forums Working in Dubai

Our Company Offered us a 6-month leave without pay to those who don't want to accept the 20% salary deduction.
Questions:
1.Is 6-month leave allowed by the law?
2.What if the company's motive is to let you have a 6-month leave and later file a complain for running away from sponsor?

many company's are doing this at the moment, they want to retain the staff, but are forced to cut overheads, the only way they can do this is to give "long leave" - normally without benefits.

huge part of the problem (due to the economic climate) is there is no precedence to follow (be it in the UAE or any other company), recessions of such magnitude don't occur regularly; as such both the private sector and government are struggling to come to terms with the issues that suddenly present themselves.

Strictly speaking the law does not allow for long leave - there is no provision for it. However, you could ask your employer to cancel your contract - this may result in a 6 month ban, but this would in fact be equal to the 6 month leave period on offer - it would allow you the flexibility however to look for other work in the mean time. of course you would have to leave the country as your residency would be cancelled.

as long as you have documentation from the employer allowing for 6 months leave you would be covered. it is not in the best interests of the employer to have absconding staff - they are unable to cancel your labour contract or residency without you and your passport; they loose the full labour deposit they have paid if the employee absconds, they have to advertise the fact that the employee has absconded in the papers(more expenses), they are likely to loose (or drop one) labour category status with the department of labour which ultimately increases their expenses. in short it is not financially sound for companies to release employees and then try and have them marked as "absconded"