UAE Notice Period Guide for Employers

Notice periods in the UAE depend on contract type (limited vs unlimited), length of service, and whether the employer or employee initiates termination under Article 43 of Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021. Unlimited contracts typically require 30 days' notice for either party unless the contract specifies otherwise. Payment in lieu of notice is permitted when agreed in writing or required by law.

Document notice in writing, align with MOHRE contract terms, and include notice pay in final settlement. Probation periods have separate shorter notice rules.

SMEs often miscalculate entitlements by using calendar days instead of service years, omitting pro-rata for partial years, or failing to document policy exceptions. Keep written policies, approval workflows, and payslip records aligned with MOHRE contract data.

ArcHR encodes UAE labour rules into leave balances, payroll, attendance, and document expiry workflows — with employee self-service so people see entitlements and HR sees audit trails.