Khor Fakkan Clinic Fined for Withholding 11 Months’ Wages, Violating Labour Rights

A labour court in Khor Fakkan has ordered a private medical clinic to pay a former employee Dh48,559 after finding that it withheld his salary for 11 months and breached multiple contractual obligations. The ruling also requires the clinic to issue the worker an official experience certificate.

Court records show that the employee worked at the clinic from 2022 to 2025. Although the employer submitted a labour contract stating a monthly salary of Dh3,500, the clinic stopped paying his wages and failed to provide other entitlements, prompting him to file a complaint with the authorities. After attempts at an amicable settlement were unsuccessful, the case was referred to court.

Wage Protection System records confirmed that the last salary paid to the employee was Dh6,000 in April 2024, with no further payments for the disputed months. They also verified that his employment period ran from April 1, 2022, to March 2025, and that his most recent labour contract dated July 16, 2024, listed a total salary of Dh3,500 and a basic salary of Dh1,000.

Applying the provisions of Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 regulating labour relations --which obligates employers to pay wages on time -- the court relied on the written contract and awarded the worker Dh38,500 in unpaid wages for the 11-month period.

The court further found that the employee had not received any annual leave during his tenure and that the clinic failed to provide proof of payment for leave allowances. Consequently, he was granted compensation for 60 days of unused leave amounting to Dh1,980, along with Dh2,079 in end-of-service benefits based on his basic salary and duration of service.

Judges also determined that the worker had been constructively dismissed, as his resignation to the dispute resolution committee was driven by the employer’s non-payment of wages -- a violation considered unfair dismissal under Article 47 of the Labour Law. He was therefore awarded an additional Dh6,000 in compensation.

However, the court rejected his claim for notice pay, noting that he had voluntarily resigned during the dispute process.

In its final judgment, the court ordered the clinic to pay all dues in full, issue an official experience certificate, and cover all court fees and expenses.

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