What are your rights as an employee if you’ve recently finished your probationary period and your employer has told you they’ll put you through it again?
Dubai Courts recently used their social media accounts to clarify that it is against UAE labour law for employers to subject the same employee to two probationary periods.
In the video, a judge from Dubai Courts referred to Article 9, Clause 2 of the UAE’s Labour Law – Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021, which reads: “It is not permissible to appoint a worker under probationary period more than once at one employer, and if the worker successfully passes the probationary period and continues to work, the contract shall become valid according to the agreed terms. [The worker’s probation] period shall be counted within the term of service.”
The UAE’s Labour Law’s Article 9 examines the numerous rules that must be observed while a worker is on probation. For instance, Clause 1 of the Article limits the probationary term for every employee to a maximum of six months.
Can one take action if one has been put on probation twice?
The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratization (MOHRE) has a labour complaints service where you can submit your concerns and get support if you find yourself in a position where you are being placed on probation twice.
You can reach the MOHRE call centre by dialling (600) 590000, or you can WhatsApp MOHRE at (600) 590000. The MOHRE app provides a different way to file a complaint.