Court Rules Employer Cannot Reclaim Education Grant From Ex-employee

The Abu Dhabi Labour Court of First Instance has dismissed a lawsuit filed by a private company seeking to compel a former employee to repay Dh155,960 provided as educational assistance for his children.

The court held that an employer has no legal right to recover educational benefits that were granted during the period of employment, even after the employee resigns.

Court documents show that the company lodged a complaint with the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation, which referred the dispute to the court. The firm argued that the employee, who had joined in 2015 with a basic salary of Dh18,440 and a total monthly package of Dh43,913, received the education grant via bank transfers and should return the amount after his resignation.

However, the court found that the company’s own admission confirmed the grants were part of its employment policy, provided to staff as assistance for their children’s schooling. Since these benefits were disbursed while the employee was still in service, the employer was not entitled to claim them back. Accordingly, the court rejected the company’s request in full.



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