The Abu Dhabi Labour Court (Court of First Instance) has ruled that a contracting company must pay AED 195,000 to a site supervisor, covering delayed salaries, end-of-service gratuity, and annual leave compensation, after the court found no evidence proving the employer had settled the worker’s financial entitlements.

According to case details, the claimant filed a lawsuit demanding payment of 10 months of unpaid salaries amounting to AED 65,000, an end of service gratuity of AED 124,800, and annual leave compensation for the last two years valued at AED 5,200, in addition to legal fees and expenses. The worker stated that he had been employed by the company since 1999 with a basic salary of AED 5,200 and a total monthly salary of AED 6,500, and that he submitted his resignation in April 2025 without receiving any of his dues. No representative of the defendant company appeared before the court.

In its reasoning, the court confirmed that employment records, salary reports, and official documents submitted through the case management system proved the existence of an employment relationship under a fixed term contract, with the claimant serving as a site supervisor. The court applied the provisions of Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 regulating labour relations.

The court emphasized that employers are legally obligated to pay salaries on time and that liability is only discharged through written proof or legal acknowledgment, neither of which was provided.

It also ruled that the claimant was entitled to end of service benefits based on a service period of 25 years, 9 months, and 23 days, as well as compensation for unused annual leave.

Accordingly, the court ordered the company to pay AED 195,000, granted immediate enforcement of the ruling, rejected any additional claims, and ordered the defendant to bear court costs.