Filing a MOHRE complaint over a final settlement

Most settlement disputes never need to reach a court. They need a clear written claim, the right documents, and the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation’s amicable-settlement stage. Here is the route, in order.

Is MOHRE the right place?

MOHRE handles individual labour disputes for employers and workers under Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 — that is, mainland private-sector employment. Article 54(1) requires a party with a dispute to submit it to the Ministry first, which "shall examine the request and take what it deems necessary to settle the dispute between them amicably".

Step 1 — ask in writing first

Before filing, write to the employer. Set out the date your employment ended, each amount you say is owed and how you calculated it, and ask for payment or a written breakdown of their own figure by a specific date. Two reasons to do this even if you expect nothing: it often works, and if it does not, it gives MOHRE a clear record of exactly what is in dispute.

A useful line: "Please provide a breakdown of my final settlement showing the basic wage used, the service period applied and the number of days for each component." If the employer's figure differs from yours, the difference will almost always be in one of those three.

Step 2 — gather the documents

• Your employment contract, and any amendments — ideally the version registered with MOHRE
• Payslips, especially the last few and any that show a change in basic wage or an unpaid-leave deduction
• Your resignation or termination letter, and the employer's acknowledgement
• Any settlement figure or calculation the employer has given you
• Your own calculation, line by line
• Emails or messages about the dispute. Screenshots are better than recollections
• Your Emirates ID and passport details

Step 3 — file the complaint

MOHRE accepts private-sector labour complaints through its digital channels — the MOHRE website and smart app — and through its call centre and approved service centres. The service is listed on MOHRE's site as "Register labour complaints – private sector employees". MOHRE also runs a toll-free Labour Claims and Advisory Call Centre on 80084, which is a good first call if you are unsure whether your complaint is in scope.

Keep the complaint focused. Name each line you say is wrong, the amount you claim for it, and the basis: "Gratuity calculated on 7,000 AED basic; my registered contract states 10,000 AED. Difference 16,500 AED." Specific claims are easier to settle.

Step 4 — the amicable stage

MOHRE contacts both sides and tries to reach a settlement. The UAE Government portal describes the period for this as 14 days from the application: if a friendly settlement is not possible, the Ministry refers the dispute onward. Many disputes end here, often because the employer's figure was built on an assumption — the wrong basic, an unrecorded unpaid-leave deduction, the repealed resignation scale — that does not survive being written down.

If you reach a settlement, make sure it is recorded, and that it states the amount and the date it will be paid.

Step 5 — decision or referral

What happens next depends on the amount:

• Claims up to 50,000 AED — and claims of any value where a party failed to comply with an earlier MOHRE settlement — can be decided by MOHRE itself, under Ministerial Resolution No. 782 of 2023 and Article 54 as amended by Federal Decree-Law No. 9 of 2024. Commentary on the 2024 amendment describes a decision that is enforceable, with a short window — 15 days — to challenge it in court.
• Larger claims that are not settled are referred to the competent court. Under Article 54(2) the referral goes with a memorandum summarising the dispute, both parties' arguments and the Ministry's recommendation, and under Article 54(5) the court sets a hearing within three working days of receiving it.

Under Ministerial Resolution No. 47 of 2022, as the UAE Government portal summarises it, a worker whose complaint has been referred to the labour court must register the case with the court within 14 days of the referral being approved. Do not miss that step: the referral does not file the court case for you.

Costs

Filing with MOHRE is free. Article 55 exempts labour claims by workers and their heirs from court fees at every stage of litigation and execution where the amount does not exceed 100,000 AED. Above that, fees can apply.

Time limits

Do not wait. Federal Decree-Law No. 9 of 2024, in force from 31 August 2024, amended Article 54 of the labour law, and commentary on it describes a limit of two years from the end of the employment for bringing a claim. Some official pages written earlier still describe the old one-year limit. Treat the one-year figure as the outside date you plan around. For domestic workers, the limit is three months.

While a complaint is running

• If you are still employed, Article 54(3) allows the Ministry to oblige the employer to keep paying wages for up to two months where the dispute has stopped them.
• If you need to start a new job, the portal summary of Ministerial Resolution No. 47 of 2022 says a worker whose case is before the court should not work for another employer without a temporary work permit from the Ministry, and can apply for one.
• Keep a log of every contact: date, who, what was said.

Questions

Related

• The 14-day deadlineWhen a settlement becomes overdue
• Every line you are owedCheck the settlement before you complain about it
• Is your calculator out of date?The commonest reason an employer's figure is too low

Published 2026-10-18 and reviewed against Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 as amended, Cabinet Resolution No. 1 of 2022, Ministerial Resolutions No. 47 of 2022 and No. 782 of 2023, and the UAE Government portal. Procedures and channels change; check MOHRE’s current service page before filing. General guidance, not legal advice — see the disclaimer.