Unpaid Salary Lawyers in Dubai

Part of KH Legal’s labour & employment practice.

Your salary is late. Then later. Then the excuses start. Under UAE law you do not have to wait politely: the Wage Protection System means late payment is recorded, provable and actionable — and the complaint process is free and fast. Here is exactly what to do, and how we help when it matters.

Your Rights When Salary Is Unpaid

Wages must be paid when due and processed through WPS. Delay beyond the prescribed windows flags the employer automatically, exposes them to penalties and permit blocks — and gives you grounds. Sustained non-payment can also entitle you to end the employment relationship while keeping your full entitlements, including end-of-service gratuity.

What to Do, Step by Step

Document — contract, bank statements, WPS records, any messages about the delay.
Demand in writing — one professional message creating a record; often enough by itself.
File with MOHRE — free, via app or call centre (80060). Mediation is scheduled within days; most wage cases settle here because the WPS trail makes them undeniable.
Decision or court — claims up to AED 50,000 can be decided by MOHRE itself with executory force; larger claims go to the labour court, where employees are exempt from court fees within statutory limits.
Execution — decisions and judgments are enforced against the employer’s accounts.

The Deadlines That Kill Claims

One year from when each amount fell due — the most common reason strong salary claims fail is simple waiting. If your salary situation has dragged for months, the earliest unpaid month is already aging out. Act now.

When to Bring Us In

Simple wage claims often succeed through MOHRE alone. We add decisive value when: the employer disputes the amounts or alleges deductions; several months and gratuity are stacked together; the company is closing or moving assets (speed becomes everything — see our debt collection practice); or a MOHRE decision needs enforcing or challenging within fifteen working days. Fixed fees for standard claims, quoted in writing first.

Frequently Asked Questions

My employer hasn’t paid me for 2 months. What can I do?

Document everything, send one written demand, then file a free MOHRE complaint — mediation is scheduled within days and WPS records make the delay provable. Sustained non-payment can also justify ending the employment with your entitlements intact.

Can my employer deduct money from my salary legally?

Only within the narrow grounds the law allows (defined deductions, capped percentages). Blanket ‘deductions’ used to justify late or short payment are among the most commonly rejected employer defenses at MOHRE.

Is there a deadline to claim unpaid salary in the UAE?

Yes — one year from when each payment fell due. Older months age out first, so a long-running salary problem is losing you money every month you wait.

What if my company shuts down owing me salary?

Move immediately: employee claims have priority ranking, but only for those who file. Liquidation deadlines are unforgiving — a same-week consultation is warranted the moment closure rumors start.

Do I risk my visa by filing a MOHRE complaint?

Filing is a protected legal right and does not itself endanger your status; during disputes MOHRE can permit employer changes in defined cases. Threats of visa retaliation are pressure tactics — document them, they strengthen your case.

Free claim assessment: +971 4 427 0845 · WhatsApp us.