UAE Probation Period Rules — Employer Guide

Probation may not exceed six months for most private-sector employees under UAE Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021, Article 9, unless a specific category permits otherwise. During probation, either the employer or employee may terminate with shorter notice — typically 14 days. End-of-service gratuity does not accrue until the employee completes at least one full year of total service, so probation completion alone does not create gratuity entitlement.

State probation clearly in the MOHRE contract. Document performance reviews and termination reasons. Pay accrued entitlements through final settlement.

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.