Firm Ordered to Pay Dh186,801 in Wages and Benefits to Long-serving Employee

An Abu Dhabi labour court has ordered a company to pay Dh186,801 to an employee who served the firm for nearly 18 years, after finding that the employer failed to meet its wage and end-of-service obligations, forcing him to stop reporting to work.

In its ruling, the Court of First Instance held that the company had withheld the employee’s monthly salaries for several consecutive months and later declined to settle his remaining labour entitlements, including accrued leave and end-of-service benefits.

Court records show that the employee approached the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation’s dispute resolution committee before filing the case. He claimed five months of unpaid wages, end-of-service gratuity, annual leave allowance for the final two years of service, and commissions covering a two-year period, along with legal interest and costs.

The employee told the court that he earned a basic salary of Dh7,000, with a total monthly package of Dh12,000. He said he stopped working only after repeated delays in salary payments and maintained that none of his outstanding dues were ever paid.

The court ruled that an employer remains liable for salary payments unless there is written proof, an admission, or sworn testimony confirming that wages have been settled. Finding no such evidence, the court awarded the employee Dh59,200 for five months of unpaid salaries.

On the question of end-of-service benefits, the court rejected the company’s claim that the employee had abandoned his job, noting the absence of supporting evidence. It therefore upheld his entitlement to gratuity and other benefits, bringing the total compensation awarded to Dh186,801.

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