Abu Dhabi court orders company to pay former employee Dh199,298 in unpaid employment dues

The Abu Dhabi Labour Court of First Instance has ordered a company to pay Dh199,298 to a former employee after ruling that several employment-related benefits remained unpaid following the end of the worker's three-year tenure.

The case centred on claims involving unpaid salaries, disputed deductions, annual leave compensation, notice pay, end-of-service gratuity and other outstanding employment entitlements.

According to court documents, the employee sought Dh74,250 in unpaid salaries that had accumulated over several months. 

The claim also included Dh34,350 in alleged unauthorised deductions made by the employer.

In addition, the former employee requested Dh27,205 as compensation for unused annual leave, Dh13,500 in lieu of the notice period, Dh33,116 in end-of-service gratuity and Dh4,000 to cover the cost of a return air ticket.

The employee also asked the court to impose legal interest of 12% from the date of the judgment until the full amount was paid, in addition to court fees, expenses and legal costs.

After reviewing the evidence and submissions presented by both parties, the Abu Dhabi Labour Court ruled in favour of the employee and ordered the company to pay Dh199,298 in outstanding employment dues.

The judgment underscores the legal and financial risks employers may face when statutory and contractual obligations are not fulfilled after the termination of an employment relationship.

The ruling also reinforces the importance of timely salary payments, transparent payroll practices and compliance with labour regulations governing employee benefits in the UAE.