Jira & Confluence 
Bitrix24 UAE mainland · Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 · Articles 22, 45, 54
Salary late or not paid in the UAE? — letter ready, MOHRE deadlines counted
Short answer. Your letter to the employer is open below: list the months and amounts. Paying wages: On their due dates, through the systems approved by the Ministry (WPS) (Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021, Art. 22(2)).
- Earliest day to leave work without notice if the employer has not fixed the breach after MOHRE notified it (14 business days, Art. 45(1)): type the date
- If you entered your last working day instead: last day for the employer to pay all wages and dues (14 days, Art. 53): type the date
- If you entered your last working day instead: last day to bring a claim (2 years, Art. 54(9)): type the date
Working days: Monday to Friday; public holidays are not deducted. Check your own case.
Art. 45(1): you may leave without notice and keep your end-of-service rights if the employer breaches its obligations, provided you notify the Ministry fourteen business days before leaving and the employer has not removed the breach after being notified by the Ministry. 'Business days' skip Saturday and Sunday in this calculator (the UAE weekend since 2022); official public holidays are not skipped, so count them yourself. Art. 54(9): no claim is heard after two years from the end of the work relation.
Start typing right in the document — no sign-up. It stays in this browser; save it to your free Layers account to keep it, open it on your phone and share it.
Lida, Layers template assistant
Enter the date you notify MOHRE, and I will show the earliest day you may leave without notice.
Put each month on its own line. MOHRE will ask for exactly that table.
An illustrated character, not a lawyer.
Deadlines
The rules, with the source
| What | Deadline | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Paying wages | On their due dates, through the systems approved by the Ministry (WPS) | Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021, Art. 22(2) |
| Labour complaint | Apply to MOHRE first; it tries to settle amicably | Art. 54(1) |
| Claims up to AED 50,000 | MOHRE decides the dispute itself; either side may go to the Court of First Instance within 15 working days of the decision | Art. 54(2)–(3) |
| Leaving without notice over unpaid salary | Notify MOHRE 14 business days before leaving; breach not removed after MOHRE notice | Art. 45(1) |
| Wages during the dispute | MOHRE may oblige the employer to keep paying wages for up to 2 months | Art. 54(5) |
| Time limit for claims | 2 years from the end of the work relation | Art. 54(9) |
| Court fees | Labour cases exempt; worker requests up to AED 100,000 exempt | Art. 55(1) |
Private sector on the UAE mainland. Not for government employees or domestic workers (Art. 3). DIFC and ADGM have their own employment laws; this page does not cover them.
Step by step
What to do, in order
1
Write down the gaps
Month, due date, amount paid and amount owed. Check your WPS bank statement.
2
Send the letter
By e-mail or by hand with a signed copy. Give a short, clear payment date.
3
Complain to MOHRE
Not paid by your date: file a labour complaint with the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation.
4
Keep working, keep records
Stopping work on your own can hurt your case. Save every message.
5
Decide about leaving
If you want to leave without notice, notify MOHRE 14 business days before your last day.
6
Final settlement
When the job ends, all dues must be paid within 14 days. Claims expire 2 years after the job ends.
Questions
My employer always pays late but eventually pays. Can I still complain?
Yes. The law requires wages on their due dates (Art. 22). A complaint to MOHRE does not need the salary to be missing for good.
Can I just stop going to work?
Only on the conditions of Art. 45(1): notify MOHRE 14 business days before leaving, and the breach must remain after MOHRE notifies the employer. Otherwise the notice rules of Art. 43 apply, and the side that does not keep the notice period owes the other a notice allowance.
I still work there. Is my claim running out?
The 2-year limit in Art. 54(9) starts when the work relation ends. Still, complain early: evidence is easier while you are there.
Official sources
Other documents
Keep the papers in one place
Letters, receipts and notices in one folder you can share with family or a lawyer. The templates and the editor are free; Layers is free for up to 20 people.
This is a ready document and a deadline calculation, not legal advice.