UAE Labour Complaint Guide 2026: How to File With MOHRE and Protect Your Rights

UAE Labour Complaint Guide 2026 thumbnail featuring MOHRE complaint filing process, UAE flag, Dubai skyline, smartphone displaying labour complaint submission, and information about employee rights and workplace dispute resolution in the UAE.

Written by Nefisa M, UAE Career Specialist

Last updated: June 16, 2026

Most workers in the UAE know their employer is supposed to follow the labour law. But when something goes wrong — a withheld salary, an unlawful termination, a contract dispute, or workplace harassment — many employees do not know what steps to take, or they are afraid to take any steps at all.

This guide explains exactly how UAE labour complaints work in 2026, what rights you have, how to file a complaint with MOHRE, what happens after you file, and what you should never do during a dispute.

Quick Answer: Can You File a Labour Complaint in UAE Without Losing Your Job?

Yes. Under UAE Labour Law Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 and its administrative amendments, filing a legitimate labour complaint with MOHRE is a protected right for every private-sector employee. An employer cannot legally terminate you, reduce your salary, or retaliate against you for filing a complaint.

Termination carried out in response to a filed complaint is classified as arbitrary dismissal and entitles you to additional compensation on top of your standard end-of-service entitlements.

What Is MOHRE and What Can It Do for You?

MOHRE stands for the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation. It is the government body responsible for regulating employment relationships in the UAE private sector. MOHRE handles complaints, mediates disputes, enforces labour law compliance, and can refer unresolved cases to the Labour Court.

MOHRE does not handle complaints for employees working in free zones that have their own autonomous regulatory authority. If you work in a DIFC, ADGM, or similar free zone, your dispute goes through that zone's specific tribunal, not MOHRE. Domestic workers have a separate process under dedicated federal frameworks.

What Types of Complaints Can You File With MOHRE?

Complaint Type	Examples and Infractions
Salary issues	Salary not paid on time, partial payment, deductions made without legal basis, commission or bonus withheld.
Unlawful termination	Dismissed without valid reason, dismissed during sick leave or maternity leave, dismissed without serving proper notice period, or terminated as retaliation for a complaint.
End-of-service not paid	Gratuity withheld, leave balance not paid out, or incomplete final settlement after leaving a job.
Contract violations	Employer changed your job title, salary, or working hours without written consent. Employer is asking you to do work outside your contract scope.
Leave disputes	Annual leave refused or not paid. Sick leave entitlement denied. Maternity or paternity leave blocked.
Visa and passport issues	Employer confiscating or withholding your passport. Employer failing to renew your work visa. Employer not cancelling your visa after you resign.
Workplace safety	Unsafe working conditions, no personal protective equipment provided, forced to work in extreme heat without proper breaks.
Harassment or discrimination	Verbal or physical abuse at the workplace, discrimination based on nationality, gender, or religion in pay or treatment.

How to File a Labour Complaint With MOHRE: Step by Step

Step 1 — Try to resolve it directly first

Before filing, send your employer or HR department a written message — email is best — clearly stating the issue and what you are asking them to correct. Keep a copy of this message. MOHRE mediators sometimes ask whether you attempted an internal resolution first. If the employer ignores you or refuses, this written record strengthens your position.

Step 2 — Gather your documents

Collect everything related to your employment and the dispute before you contact MOHRE. The stronger your documentation, the faster and better the outcome. Key documents to have ready include:

A copy of your signed employment contract (Unified Labour Contract)
Recent salary slips or bank transfer records
Your Emirates ID and passport copy
Screenshots or printed copies of any relevant messages or emails
Your most recent Wage Protection System (WPS) salary statement if available
Any written warnings, termination letters, or HR correspondence
Your company's trade licence number if you can find it

Step 3 — File your complaint through MOHRE

There are three ways to file a complaint with MOHRE. All are free of charge.

Option A — MOHRE App (Fastest): Download the MOHRE app on iOS or Android. Log in with your UAE Pass or Emirates ID. Go to the Labour Complaints section and submit your case with supporting attachments directly from your phone.
Option B — MOHRE Website: Visit mohre.gov.ae, go to the Complaints section, and fill out the online form. You can upload your documents digitally.
Option C — Call 800-60: Call the MOHRE hotline at 800-60 (free, available in multiple languages). The agent will log your complaint and give you a reference number. This is the quickest route if you prefer speaking directly to a representative.

✅ Important: Save your complaint reference number
After filing, MOHRE gives you a reference number. Save it immediately. You will need it to track the status of your complaint and to follow up if you do not hear back within the expected timeframe.

Step 4 — Attend the MOHRE mediation session

After you file, MOHRE will contact both you and your employer to arrange a mediation session. This is usually scheduled within a few working days to two weeks of the complaint being logged. The goal is to settle the dispute without going to court.

During mediation, a MOHRE officer hears both sides, reviews the documents, and tries to reach a mutual agreement. Many complaints — especially unpaid salary cases — are resolved at this stage. The employer is legally required to attend. If they do not appear, MOHRE can escalate directly.

Step 5 — If mediation fails, the case goes to Labour Court

If the mediation session does not produce a resolution within two weeks, MOHRE closes the mediation file and issues a referral letter so you can take the case to the Labour Court. The referral letter is required before the court will accept your case.

Labour Court cases in the UAE are exempt from court fees for employees whose claims are less than a certain threshold, meaning you generally do not pay to file. A judge reviews the evidence, may request additional documents, and issues a binding ruling. Most straightforward cases are resolved within one to three months in court.

What Happens to Your Visa During a Labour Complaint?

This is one of the most common concerns employees have, and it is also one of the most misunderstood.

If your employer terminates you while your complaint is active, your residency visa remains valid for a grace period of 60 days from the date of termination. During this period you can stay in the UAE, continue the complaint process, look for a new job, and transfer your visa to a new employer if one is found.

If your case is referred to Labour Court, the court can issue a hold on your visa cancellation, meaning your employer cannot forcibly cancel your visa until the case is resolved. This protection prevents employers from using visa cancellation as pressure during a dispute.

If you need more time beyond 60 days, you can apply for a job-seeker visa extension through the federal ICP portal or GDRFA channels depending on the emirate.

Can Your Employer Blacklist You for Filing a Complaint?

There is no legal "employee blacklist" in the UAE that prevents you from working for other employers simply because you filed a legitimate complaint. What employers can do is request a labour ban in specific, legally defined circumstances — such as an employee abandoning their job without notice or resigning mid-contract without a valid reason and without serving notice.

Filing a legitimate complaint through MOHRE does not itself result in a labour ban. In fact, if an employer attempts to have you banned as retaliation for a complaint, this constitutes a separate violation they can be reported for.

⚠️ One important exception
If you resign without notice and without a valid reason before completing your probation period, your employer can report an absence complaint, which may result in a one-year labour ban. Always serve your contractual notice period or get written consent to waive it before leaving any job, especially if you are also in the middle of a dispute.

Employer Rights During a Labour Complaint

Understanding the employer's side of the process helps you prepare more effectively. During the MOHRE process, your employer has the right to attend the mediation session and present their version of events and supporting documents. They can dispute the facts, produce their own payroll records, and request that the mediator consider their perspective.

This is why your documentation matters so much. Bring clear, timestamped evidence. Verbal claims without any supporting record are much harder to uphold, even when you are genuinely in the right.

Salary Complaints and the Wage Protection System (WPS)

The Wage Protection System is an electronic salary transfer system that private-sector employers in the UAE must use. It records when your salary was paid, how much was transferred, and to which account. This makes salary disputes much more straightforward than they used to be, because the WPS data is an official record that both MOHRE and the Labour Court can access directly.

Under applicable wage framework guidelines, employers must transfer salaries on time. If your salary is delayed, the system flags the delay automatically. MOHRE can then verify your complaint instantly against the electronic record without you needing to prove anything beyond your contract and Emirates ID.

If your employer is paying you in cash and not registering your salary through WPS, this itself is a violation you can report separately. Cash-only payment outside WPS is illegal for mainstream private-sector employers.

Complaints About Passport Confiscation

Confiscating or retaining an employee's passport is illegal under UAE law. Your passport belongs to you and only you have the right to hold it. If your employer is keeping your passport, you can report this directly to MOHRE using the same complaint channels listed above.

You can also report it to your home country's embassy or consulate in the UAE, which can assist in contacting the employer on your behalf. Do not sign any document that claims to authorise your employer to hold your passport; any such clause is legally unenforceable.

Things You Should Never Do During a Labour Dispute

Do not abandon your job or stop showing up without formally resigning or filing a complaint first. Unexplained absence gives the employer grounds to file an absconding report against you.
Do not sign any settlement agreement or final clearance document unless you have read it fully and it accurately reflects everything you are owed. Once signed, it is legally binding.
Do not delete any WhatsApp messages, emails, or payment records related to the dispute. Evidence of conversations can be accepted by MOHRE and Labour Courts.
Do not make any public social media posts about your employer or the dispute while it is active. This can complicate your case and may conflict with local regulations regarding cyber visibility.
Do not accept verbal promises of resolution from your employer without getting them in writing. Verbal commitments carry no legal weight in a formal dispute.
Do not pay any person or agency claiming they can resolve your MOHRE case faster for a fee. The MOHRE process is entirely free.

Free Legal Help and Support Available in the UAE

If your case is complex, you may benefit from legal advice before or during the process. The following free resources are available to workers in the UAE:

MOHRE Tawseel Service: Provides accessible services for workers who face limitations traveling directly to service centers. Call 800-60 to inquire about availability.
Dubai Legal Affairs Department: Offers legal consultations for workers in Dubai. Check their official website for location and timing details.
Abu Dhabi Judicial Department: Provides legal guidance for employees in Abu Dhabi through the ADJD portal or office locations.
Your Home Country Embassy: Most embassies maintain a labor or welfare desk that can assist their nationals with employment-related guidance.
Ewaan Platform: A platform within the ecosystem that can assist in connecting workers with legal guidance where applicable.

Timeline: What to Expect After Filing

Stage	Typical Timeframe
Complaint logged and reference number issued	Same day
MOHRE contacts both parties and schedules mediation	2 to 7 working days
Mediation session held	Within 14 days of filing
Resolution at mediation OR referral to Labour Court issued	Within 14 days of mediation date
Labour Court hearing (if referred)	First hearing within 3 to 6 weeks of referral
Final court ruling	1 to 3 months from first hearing (for straightforward cases)

Helpful UAE Career and Rights Guides

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I file a MOHRE complaint if I have already resigned?

Yes. You can file a complaint after resigning if your employer has not paid your full final settlement, including end-of-service gratuity, unused leave balance, and any outstanding salary. Legal claims should be initiated inside one year from the date the vulnerability or dispute arose or from the final day of your employment contract.

Does my employer know I filed a complaint before the mediation session?

Yes. MOHRE will reach out directly to your employer to arrange the mediation session, so they will be aware that a complaint has been logged. If you are concerned about your current working conditions, keep thorough personal records of all performance and correspondence logs safely stored.

Can I file a complaint if my contract is in Arabic and I do not read Arabic?

Yes. MOHRE handles matters in both Arabic and English. Official employment agreements are typically structured in bilingual formats. Translation assistance or English communication tracks can be arranged during the mediation process if required.

What if I am on a freelance or part-time visa — can I still complain?

Part-time and temporary workers contractually registered under the MOHRE network have the right to file complaints. Independent freelancers holding an autonomous permit operating as distinct contractors fall under separate civil or contractual terms depending on the nature of their license agreement. You can confirm your tracking status by calling 800-60.

What is the maximum compensation I can receive from a successful labour complaint?

For cases of proven arbitrary dismissal, the Labour Court can award up to three months of your total wage as compensation on top of your standard unpaid legal dues. For other instances, the court orders the processing party to pay the exact outstanding variables—back pay, unused annual leave, or gratuity balances—owed to the worker.

Author Review

This article was written and reviewed by Nefisa M, UAE Career Specialist at UAE Free Job. The content is created to help workers in the UAE understand their employment rights and how to protect them through official channels.

Connect with Nefisa on LinkedIn: Nefisa M LinkedIn Profile.

Official References

Important Note

This article is for general information only and is not legal advice. UAE labour laws, MOHRE procedures, visa rules, and court processes can change and vary by emirate and employment type. Always verify your specific situation directly with MOHRE (800-60), the official UAE Government portal at u.ae, or a qualified UAE labour lawyer before taking action.